The Circle
by TheLastStoryImwastingonyou
Summary: 'Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man' This world is not real. In which case: 1. What happens to me is not real 2. Hair can't be naturally pink 3. I am not real. How did I get here? Why am I in a manga/anime ? How do I kill a Uchiha without getting killed in the process? But I know for certain, that tomato is mine. MINE.
1. A dream half remembered

**The Circle**

**Chapter I : A dream half remembered**

Blackness. Void. Fire. Burning. And burning. I couldn't hear anything, but flesh spluttering. Or perhaps I was _imagining_ hearing my flesh spluttering. But I couldn't see anything, that much I was sure. Only darkness and the feeling that instead of eyes I had two empty holes. And I was spinning, and spinning into nothingness. It was torture. It was more than torture. _Where was I?_ My mind couldn't wrap around what was going on, as I felt my senses all numbed and all alive in the same time. It was overwhelming. How did I get here?

_I know_. Yes, I did. Or at least, I could recall the last thing I saw before I've fallen into this nothingness. Rain. And blood. And falling. A hole in my stomach as I was cutting the air towards the ground. And someone screaming. _I'm sorry._ But… For what? I stopped in mid air. Drums. And ripping. _Drums?_ A rhythm. Perhaps… a heart beat?

And then air. And sharp noises, like knives tearing my ear drum to pieces. And light. TOO MUCH LIGHT. It was burning my eyes like acid. And cold. I was _so_ cold. _Soo_ bloody cold. I always loved cold, and snow but mostly the cold. I always annoyed my mother by not heating the house in the winter. Why should I? I loved winter and we weren't that far in the north to actually have hard winters. But she loved warmth. She always preferred spring and summer, while I couldn't stand the heat.

I opened my mouth for air. I desperately needed air. I felt like suffocating . My nostrils were washed out. THAT. HURTED. I could hear a piercing scream somewhere nearby, while I was fighting the white light that was burning my cornea. But I could finally breath, and air came in like icy sloths burning my nostrils. I was desperately clinging to the air. I felt my skin sticky, like I've been bathed in pitch. All I could see were shadows and light, while the screaming and crying continued to vibrate in my hypersensitive ears. My trachea was burning and pulsing with pain. Could it be that _I_ was the one screaming and crying? Possibly. Because of the agony I was in I did not really cared. All this pain… was too much.

And then I felt warmth. Something, a blanket perhaps, wrapped around me, and something else holding it close to me. I was unable to move, constrained and too much in pain to do something. My throat was burning. I tried to see what was keeping me from moving, almost crushing me. It almost felt like arms. But that was impossible so for a second I imagined myself wrapped in a straitjacket. Somehow, falling out of a window and waking up in a straitjacket made perfect sense, out of the sudden. Perhaps I tried to commit suicide and then became violent when the doctors tried to help me. Or perhaps I was a mad person, a schizophrenic who tried to kill someone. So many possibilities… to keep my mind occupied with while trying to cope with the pain. The crying and screams ceased, followed by upset cooing. Was there a baby around? That meant I was truly in a hospital. I still couldn't see anything but shadows and my hearing was as if I was underwater, _which_ was disorienting. I constantly felt the urge to clear them, but I couldn't tuck my hands out of the blanket or whatever I was in. I must have been in a weird bed too, because it was bouncing me lightly from time to time. Like cradling someone. I remembered doing that with my cat. In the first year he didn't liked it, not even one bit, but in time, he came to love it and became a really spoiled cat. Which I loved with every bit of my heart. Eh, looks like my flat mate has to take care of Tommy while I'm… whatever I'm doing now. Or not doing. In what kind of accident was I involved that I was in hospital? Because I couldn't imagine myself committing suicide or getting involved in a murder as in falling as a victim of one. Or perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps I was sleeping and this was a very vivid dream with very vivid pain. I was confused and tired. And chills began running down my spine.

A cold breath blew in my face. Why was someone so close to me? A doctor examining me? I couldn't be sure if the colorful shadows were a face but I wanted to believe that they were. My head turned towards the source of the cold. _Someone_'s breath was blowing right in my face almost chocking me. _Someone_'s laughter vibrated beneath me and my position changed. I began to understand with a frightening and stupefied conscious that someone was holding me. And that this couldn't possibly be a dream as I was waaaay too lucid. Why was someone holding me? Why was this person so much bigger than me? Why wasn't I able yet to see or hear anything clearly? Where was I? Why wasn't anyone talking? Was I and this person the only beings in this room? Was I dead and this was God laughing in my face for not believing in him ever in my life, like 'surprise motherfucker'? But the laughter was very thin, either of a woman or a very young boy. Perhaps it was Morrigan, the celtic goddess my best friend believed in. That would have been **_very _**ironical. Part of my daily routine was to laugh at my said best friend for believing in any divine force at all. I was even quoting Friedrich Nietzsche while she was backfiring with Spinozza. **_Why_** would anyone read anything from that man? Ew. I hate his philosophy.

''She's pretty''

I froze. I should be happy. Wasn't I complaining about no one talking? The voice vibrated beneath me, so I was held right above the chest of this enormous creature. Did it occurred to me that I was held like a baby ? Yes, yes it did. Did I remember hearing a baby crying very close earlier? Yes, that too. Was I denying this two facts to be linked to me? Absolutely. A finger stroke my face and my response was immediate. I started screeching and moving with whatever force I had. Anything, _anything_ but not this. Not touching me out of the blue. I never allowed my mother to do so, I will certainly not let anyone else, with the exception of doctors but that wasn't something it couldn't be helped. And I doubted this woman was a doctor. She' shhhhh'-ed me, and cradled me.

….Why could she cradle me? Why was she so much bigger? Why couldn't I communicate with this creature? Then it occurred to me that she did not speak in English. And that I understood her.

"What's the matter? Are you cold?" she stopped for a moment moving slightly, gasping and breathing hard. She wrapped the blanket around me tightly. "It's ok. Shh".

_Stop saying 'shhhhhhh' woman. _My ears were hurting. The fact that she was trying to console me and comfort me like a mother does with her baby, was **not** c_onsoling and comforting at all._ This was frightening. It was like a nightmare but awake and very much real. The sounds coming out of my mouth were strange to my own ears. It's impossible_. Impossible_. IMPOSSIBLE.

"She's strong".

My head turned to the source of the new voice only to see darkness. No longer shadows just plain darkness. My eyes were too weak to reach that far and the surroundings too dark. The woman moved and stripes of hair brushed my face. I turned startled to gaze at them. They were soft but tangled and even sweaty and very… blonde. That blonde that you find in Sweden or Norway. My best friend adores it and even calls it 'viking hair', while I loath it. My ENTIRE family is blonde, of course I was rather bored of the color.

"You have to take her" the woman said holding me even closer as if she wanted to mold me into her, contradicting her own words. "You have to take her to safety. He… he will take care of her. He will understand one day". She paused stroking my face again which I did not appreciate even one bit and I started protesting again but she was determined to ignore it. "_She_ will understand".

_Why do I feel like I'm part of a very badly directed movie?_ It was like being in a clishé movie with poor dialogue but with great intrigue and complexity since I still had no idea what was happening. Like Inception really, but that was _excellently _directed although the dialogue was exaggeratedly complicated with _big _words. Really enjoyed watching the parodies, almost as much as watching the movie itself.

Paces were getting closer and closer. Something wet was pouring on my face. The woman must have started crying or they both agreed to drown me and put me out of my misery. Some other arms picked me up and the woman reluctantly let go of me sobbing.

"Tell him to forgive me. Forgive everything. But not forget. Tell him… that I love him. And Kushina. And the little brat that must be torturing her now that she is due. And that I still think that he lost a drinking game to you for _that name_ ". She laughed nervously accentuating the last two words with fake indignation and disgust. "And tell _her_… everything. When the time is right."

_WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT?!_ This woman… I swear. I started fidgeting and making the same not so human noises, while the woman was soundly crying. Something else bothered me from what she said. That name was _very_ familiar. Like I could hear it in the back of my mind but couldn't quite recall the memory or the exact time and circumstances I heard it. I had to search in my mind but I was too tired to do so. It will come to me … **_in time_**. I could hear my silent dry laugh in my mind. A calloused hand moved the blanket around me, bringing more light. That really didn't helped, although I did catch a blurry glimpse at my new holder. Guess what? More shadows. It was like trying to peep from behind your almost closed eyes. Like my eye lids were glued and I was seeing through glue. That turned my stomach. If the colors were strong enough I guessed I could see them. Like this persons hair. Which was white or grey. Or both. An old person, eh? But with steady arms. I could respect that.

"You will survive" he said and his voice, like before, did not sounded old at all. "And everybody will be waiting for you."

"No" the woman said firmly. "I won't survive. Too much blood. I don't _intend_ to."

"I see" the person holding me said quietly. "Any name?"

The woman started laughing and I heard her shifting in something, by the sound, more blankets. The person holding me waited patiently for her response.

"I… have no idea" her voice cracked in a yawn. "I have no name for her. Funny, that I haven't thought about this the past nine months. It's not like I had some substantial time. Choose something for her…." Her voice sounded muffled like a person barely awake. "…something less idiotic than usual, please."

The person holding me sighted exasperated and even a little annoyed. He titled his head so he could glance at me and pointed his finger to loose the blanket and let my hand free. I caught his finger …so much bigger than my hand. I tried to squeeze but my hands were too weak.

"How is she supposed to survive without feeding? It's a long way to the village" he spoke allowing me to attempt and fail crushing his finger.

"She's strong. Now leave."

The person 'hn'-ed. He freed his finger from my grasp and wrapped the blanked trapping my hands again. I _did_ protest.

**"_Now. Leave."_**

The woman's voice almost sounded strong. A wave of exhaustion washed all over me and all the pain that I felt was concentrating in my bones. Or so I felt it. The person that was holding me moved. He was walking, bringing a dazzling feeling. Combining that with my fatigue, I could barely stay awake. Perhaps I dreamt but perhaps not, when someone muttered 'Farewell'. Or perhaps all was just a dream, a nightmare or coma. Either way, I returned to a cold,_ very cold_ and dark unconscious with little wet, icy spots covering my face.

* * *

**After 14 chapters I have finally decided to write an author note for the first chapter. *massive facepalm* But better later than never? So yeah, this is my fanfic, first fanfic or attempt anyway ^_^. Please have patience, the story goes slow because it's a character centered one. Basically it follows the story of a person fallen through universes, or realities, in a realistic manner. Ok, maybe the realistic aspect of the story is rather debatable, but that's only because my character isn't completely mature (COMPLETELY ha ha, what a fat lie) and the experiences she goes through are changing her and affects her not in the best way possible. You will see.**

**My English is sloppy, but I'm trying, if not when uploading a new chapter, now and again to re-correct the chapters. There's a circle of correcting, uploading and correcting again for five or six times again. And mistakes still manage to somehow slip into the story, so yeah. I'm rather failing T_T. This is the first... thing this lengthy that I've ever written in English. So yeah, there's that. **

**Also! The story is cannon (as much as possible. meaning that things will go the way the manga goes but with slightly differences. In the end, however, things usually end up the canon way. Even if not at first glance.) , BUT I have finished it before the manga itself finished so ... the pairing part will be... um, complicated? I know it's Sasuke/OC, but that is ... different. I don't mean that it won't be any romance, I don't mean that it will be any romance. It's at the same time, more than that, but also less than that. Confusing? Perfect ^_^. **

**Things are always _not_ what they seem in this fanfic.**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated, because they help me improve myself and to be honest it makes me aware (or not) that what I write is appreciated, so go for it! ^_^. And yes, I love long author notes. Oh, I've just remembered what I should have said in the beginning, I'm Cordy. ^_^**

**Catch you guys later, and Enjoy!**


	2. Introspection

**Chapter II : Introspection**

_Why does it always have to be this warm?_ I increased the speed of my paces longing for the my cool bedroom. It was the most north oriented room of the house so, it was colder. I thought that in six years of living in a humid and warm village I would accommodate. No such luck. I was sweating like a pig and I couldn't do anything about it. And I hated the way the air would make me feel sticky. My body just really, really, _really_ hated heath.

It also didn't helped that it was almost june. The sun was constantly torturing me, bright and round like a circle of fire high on a clear sky of almost-summer. Even the earth seemed to emanate heath, warming my feet and short legs. Everything was short about me. I hated it. My shadow was the wrong size and so was my eye level. Or at least that's what my mind told me. _Did I used to be this short and small?_ Kids really are short. I rolled my eyes at my own statement. _They are kids, of course they are short._ And here I was! Mentally talking to myself. _And scowling too_. Actually I did that quite often, talking to myself and living more 'up there' than down here in the 'real' world. I furrowed my brows. I still had doubts this world _**was**_ real. Now and then I would feel like walking in a dream or phantasm, chasing some weird products of my own imagination. But of course, even my imagination wasn't this vivid, and under no circumstances would a dream be this long. Six years…. How the time has passed.

I stopped. Raising my eyes to the symbol I cleared my face of any emotion in case anyone was around. And there were indeed people, walking around, out and in the compound, some in green vests serving as an uniform or just in plain dark colored clothes. With a last glance at the white and red – quite opposite from the preference for dark clothing of the members wearing it – I took a deep breath and followed an old woman inside. _Why me?_ The question was irrelevant; it popped up in my mind without being addressed to anyone and without being definite or clear. Why me…_what_? I just kept my head low walking down the street, not looking at the people around me. It was stupid. I _knew_ they had better matters to worry about than staring at a child walking home. But still, I felt like a stranger, walking among strangers. But these people were part of my family. Well, no not really family, but more the extended variant of it. A _clan_. That sounded so… pompous. Although, the same now uninterested people made it clear in the first years of my arrival that I was a stranger. Yes, I was one of them, but at the same time I wasn't. I raised my eyes from the ground looking around me. Why should I be ashamed? From what I knew this world wasn't even real, and even if it was, I still had no reason to be so humble to these people. As expected no one was staring weirdly at me and no one was whispering around pointing at me. But they used to, three years ago. Now they just didn't care, which was fine with me. I passed the huge house. I looked at it with shivers down my spine. I knew this house. I did not lingered, actually I started walking faster, as if it was haunted. It wasn't, but for _me_ it was. Not by ghosts, but events I knew would come to pass. I shook my head. _Not now, __**reason**__._ After ten minutes I was home. That was a record. The compound was **huge**.

I opened the door and peeped, carefully sneaking inside. _Perhaps she's not home_. I prayed the Valar she wasn't. _Yeah, but which Vala?_ Could I still named all fifteen Valar watching over Middle-Earth? After a mental check of my nerd legendarium, I was rather content to find that yes, everything was in place. I was far too obsessed with Lord of The Rings not to. It was perhaps the only thing linking me to home, to my word, _**to myself**_. I sneaked along the hall of the house, remembering the exact number of steps, until I passed all rooms that _she_ could be at this hour. _Perhaps she's in the garden._ It was _her_ obsession. _Almost there_. I passed the kitchen, one step from the staircase which led to my room and the next level of the house.

''Welcome home, Kaya''

_Shit, shit __**shit. Not that name.**_ I grimaced, still not turning. _She scared the shit out of me._ I turned slowly facing the kitchen and one of the persons I hated and adored at the same time. Hated because, well, I hated everything from this world simply for not being from _my_ world – admittedly I like bitching about everything – and adored because she made delicious food and …

''Oh, hi there'' I said ignoring the greeting and picking up the cat that started brushing my knees. ''You must be new here''. The little ball of grey and white fur started purring immediately as I proceeded to stroke her head and chin. ''Hello Nekkobaa''.

_**That sounded soo Japanese**__._ I cursed myself for being so**… **occidental? Not the language, noooo that came naturally almost like … magic? But of course it wasn't magic, yet Japanese _felt_ so natural. And yet all my thoughts were English. Or perhaps so I thought. **URGH, why was everything so confusing?** The Cat Granny didn't flinch at my not-so-local 'hello' and turned towards the stove. _This woman…. is very strange_. I entered the kitchen and five more cats welcomed me. I didn't mind the cats, I minded only the cat-obsessed Granny. All I could see now was her orange dress and big grey hair, but I knew she had her cat ears on to keep the hair from her face, and her favorite purple scarf. Damn my shortness for not being able to see much. The food was smelling delicious so who was I to complain? _To think that they assigned her as my tutor…._And by them, I meant the head of the clan which was only one person really. I did remember (although I didn't want to) when I was called before the head of the clan, after being let out of the orphanage. The Clan decided to claim me finally, after two years of life, though I couldn't say if that happened because they wanted or because they were made to. I did not, however, remembered extremely clear; only fractures of memories of the man who leads our clan and this bat-shit crazy granny, who was said to be called upon with the sole purpose of taking care of me. This was odd. Well, I knew they couldn't just let a two years old fend for herself, since such a thing was absurd, but the context was …. odd. I should be grateful; they took me in and gave me a name, well a last name, and claimed me as their own. But these people were _**cold**_. Distant. And they did not regard me as anything but a stranger. Whispering and staring as I walked, and turning a cold shoulder. And I? I was way too preoccupied with figuring out just **WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON.** I didn't have time to dwell on all that. I only had time to take in as much information I could and use it, mold it with my own knowledge in order to survive _here._

''How long 'till dinner, Nekkobaa?'' I complained playing with an orange cat, which meowed desperately.

''Eeh, aren't you impatient?'' she said turning to me and squinting her eyes. ''I've just started and you better not disturb me! Cooking is an art. And let poor Mikasa alone!''

I snickered at the name. Yes, I liked Attack on Titan, no I did not liked Mikasa. Too Mary Sue for my taste. I let go of the cat and got out of the kitchen happy to let Nekobaa to her cooking. _She'll call for me._ Or the cats will. Another white cat eyed me as I was walking along the hall and up the stairs. I swear these cats could think just like humans. The only difference? They couldn't talk. _False. Some can._ Yes, but those were kind of far from here in a abandoned city, where Cat Granny's granddaughter, Tamaki, was. She would often talk about Tamaki, with the cats gathered around her. She was, in fact, spending her time divided between me and Tamaki. Every two days she left and I had the house all for myself. _I should be kinder to Nekobaa. It must be awfully tiresome. _I didn't spend much time with Cat Granny, despite living in the same house. I entered my room and jumped on the bed. … _now what?_ I stared at the ceiling as if waiting an answer from the whiteness or from the shadows the sunset was leaving on it. They were dissolving in a fiery orange and red, almost like being eaten by flames. Darkness drowned in fire. Despair drowned in confusion. Or the other way around? I furrowed my eyebrows_. _

_I am soooo tired_. Exhausted. I knew Nekobaa would worry again but it couldn't be helped. She knew I couldn't sleep well at night, and the medic's only conclusion was that I did not wasted my energy during the day. This was stupid, since I had no energy to start with, but even so I started taking long walks around the village. This way I could map in my mind and remember every street and alley. There were some that I didn't have the guts to take because they were definitely not safe for a six years old child. _ How… can all this be real?_ I couldn't wrap my mind around it. Yet here I was, sitting on a bed, in a world I never would have thought to possibly be real, as a completely different human being, with a different family. _Well…. More like NO family_. It was….overwhelming. Too much for my tired mind. I was thirsty for sleep, thirsty for _understanding_, thirsty for … death.

I jumped out of my bed and reached for a piece of paper and a pencil. _Let's see what we know so far._ I hit myself in the head with the pencil, jumping back on the bed. _I. Not 'we'_. I don't know when I started referring myself to 'we' when consulting my own mind. _So….._ I started doodling with my small writing a scheme. _First, the blonde woman and the man_. Until this day I still didn't know who they were. I was thinking about this constantly. Even in the first years. I shuddered. Those were the worst. I refused to talk to anyone. Not because I didn't know how, or that I was unsure of my words (which I was and still am), I just refused to speak even one word. I can't explain it. I just spend my time thinking, and thinking, letting other people explain to me who I was in this new world, what was happening and take care of me. Even in orphanage. I just waited to….grow. I shook my head.

_Back. Go back._ Back to the blonde. I wrote above the 'blonde woman', the word 'reincarnation'. It was the only thing that made sense. I remember seeing fractures of a fall and blood. I must have died and then, was born again… here. Reincarnation. In a world that wasn't supposed to exist. _Or was it?_ Perhaps my world wasn't the only one, maybe there was a multitude of worlds and I ended up being reincarnated in such a world. _To think that I ended up in an anime… or manga. _I wrote that down. I had to figure that up. Well, there weren't many differences between the two, but still.

Most likely this was a combination of the two. Of course, there was the strong possibility that I did fall from somewhere very high and was stuck in a coma and all of this was my mind trying to keep itself together. _Then why does it feel like is tearing itself apart? _I massaged my temples and space between my nose. _So tired_. And yet, if the blonde woman was my new mother than the man was definitely not my father_. But he is the one who brought me in Konoha. And named me (thanks a lot for **'Kaya'**, jackass), and informed the head of the village of my lineage…_ And he knew my new mother which may or may not be dead. I liked to believe that if she was alive she would have searched for me. It was a high possibility that he knew my father as well. My father is an enigma. _No, not entirely. _This brought me to the next chapter.

I wrote with firm letters 'Uchiha' on the paper and stared at it. This world made me an Uchiha. _**This world made me an Uchiha. I am an Uchiha.**_ Which wasn't necessary a bad thing. _Yes, yes it is_. I mean what could possibly go wrong, with the exception of the Massacre, in which _**EVERY**_ Uchiha member dies with the exception of Itachi and Sasuke (_and Madara ad Obito, but hey! They were supposed to dead. If only_)? This was worse than being Sakura's sister. Or twin sister. Or retarted twin sister with the same pinkish hair but horrible appearance, and lower level of intelligence. I remember my consternation when they told me that I was an Uchiha. The words did not link together in my mind. _They still don't_. I haven't spoken with an Uchiha member, not directly anyway. I did lived in the Compound but everyone rather avoided me and I avoided them.

_How did I end up in the Naruto word again?_ Oh yeah, I still didn't know. So, my mother was an unknown blonde and my father was an Uchiha. The Uchiha got killed – no, will get killed – by Itachi because they plan an uprising in the village and he has to choose. He chooses to save his younger brother, who grows up to hate him and swear revenge. _Uchiha Sasuke_. I wrote the name with capitals. Who gets put in a genin cell with Haruno Sakura and Jesus – Uzumaki Naruto – Christ. I smiled at the little triangle I made for the trio. _And I'm in the same year with all of them_. Ah, Ninja Academy. Have I ever complained about school being boring? Academy was pure torture. I wrote it down as well. I could never be sociable. I shove that thought aside. That was another story for another day to contemplate.

So…. what next? Provided that I don't get killed in the Massacre (_highly impossible_), I should pass the Academy exam and become a genin._ Or should I?_ I knew part of what was going to happen but some things were a blur. And not because I did not remembered but because I never paid attention to the anime. I just had heard about it from a friend and once I started it I wanted to see if I can watch it until the end. The anime was going too slow so I started reading the manga and well, I finished it. But I certainly did not pay enough attention to certain things. And that scared me. My arrival here was not good. I was going to change things and I did not wanted to. _I certainly don't want to_. And also there was the Massacre. Did the idea of it obsess me? YES. If this life, this world was real than I would die, (_again_) if this world wasn't real then …. I had no idea what would happen_. Limbo? What in seven hells am I thinking about?_ I violently shook my head. I couldn't keep track of my thoughts. Yep, it was one of _**those**_ days. Those confusing and not so stable days.

Could I blame being of only six years old, for my inconsequence in thinking? _No_. Let's try again. So, I had to find out who my parents are in this world, especially my father, because right now I was only a bastard, an unclaimed Uchiha child. _Uchiha_. I shook my head incredulously. How am I supposed to get used to this thought and wrap my mind around it? I caught one of my black strands of hair. _So different._ Will I ever watch myself in the mirror and not see a stranger? This… black mess of hair was drastically _opposite_ from my dirty blonde curls. I missed them. I missed them fiercely. I missed home. I missed my cat, I missed **myself**. _Why Naruto? Why not other fictional world? _They I thought of Westeros. And Panem. And Sauron with the Ring. _I guess it's _not _that bad. _**The Lannisters send their regards.**_ Yeah, definitely not that bad. _

Some scraps at my door announced me that dinner was ready. I got up and opened the door letting Mikasa in. The cat came and brushed my legs softly.

"What is it, cat?" I asked her. "Is dinner ready? Yes? Or you only want some affection?"

I had this weird need to talk to animals even if I knew they couldn't understand a word I was saying, and that I looked pretty much stupid.

"You're a little spoiled ball of fur, aren't you?" I said bringing the cat up in my arms. I could barely hold it. And I hated it. I hated this weakness of my small child body. I had passed adolescence! I was free of hormonal imbalance and bursts. I stopped mid-step while struggling with the cat in my arms and trying to get down the stairs.

"Oh my Vala" I whispered softly. "I have to go through puberty again".

Somewhere in the kitchen the Cat Granny was feeding the five little puffy balls of fur, purring in pure contentment.

* * *

**Oh, hi. After four cups of coffee and a week of tests I managed to write this second chapter.(I can barely keep my eyes open). Initially, I wanted to post this mini author note in the first chapter… but yeah, it didn't happen. I will start with apologizing for the eventual and inevitable mistakes, I really, really try my best when correcting the errors and grammar mistakes but my laptop is killing me. That might be because I kind of drenched it in coffee. Might. So, some important things about the story : all the events will be canon. I don't want to change that because they define the characters and I hate OOC's. The main character isn't the most coherent character you'll ever … read. She's a real nerd with some very human needs and problems that make her who she is. You'll see what I mean in later chapters. I had doubts if to make her an Uchiha or not. I hate Mary Sues and I really, really, **_**really,**_** hope she doesn't turn up as one. That would definitely and profoundly upset me. (With myself if that makes any sense). This chapter is the last one that features only two active characters. From this point, Kaya will interact with the other characters and basically enters the storyline of the manga. Please be patient. This character is very introspective and analytical to the point of being infuriating and annoying if not slow. (again, next chapters). Now I'll stop before spoiling the whole story. Oh, another thing. I will keep things true to the manga/anime but I kind of finish the whole story just before chapters 699 and 700 were up, so yeah, the pairing issue is… complicated. It's a Sasuke/OC story but it might or might not be what you expect. You'll have to read and find out ^_^**

**PS: Every Author Note will be at the end of the chapters because I find it more comfortable for the readers. Constructive criticism would be very much appreciated. ^_^ **


	3. Chaos is a ladder

**Chapter III**: **Chaos is a ladder:** **_Quem deus vult perdere, dementat prius_****_._**

The cats were moving around me, tangling their tails and my feet as well. _Why couldn't she be Hamsterbaa? Little puffy creatures who don't wake you up every morning meowing and jumping on your bed, like a bunch of four years old children._ But hamsters did like to chunk hair and fingers. I remembered very clear my two hamsters back home and how I had to wrap a bandage tight around my finger to stop the bleeding_. That was one evil she-hamster_. Although to the hamster's defense, its name was Cersei . A long and loudly meow caught my attention. I looked at the orange little monster as it was begging for food.

"You're not Tommy" I mumbled. "I miss Tommy".

My orange stripped and very spoiled cat. And adorably stupid. I sighed. _No Tommy in this world. _I managed to escape the mess of fur at my feet and got into the bathroom. I carefully avoided the mirror while washing my teeth and showering. My appearance was a taboo. No one said that being reborn in a new world, meant you got to keep your physical traits.

_Noooo._ I've never been one too concerned about how I looked as I considered that my mind is **me**. We are born, we grow, we age, and we die. Our bodies are dying as every second passes, but our mind expands itself just as much. That it was the only thing that I could truly take with me no matter what happened. _Well I wasn't half that wrong, was I?_ But I've always been proud of my genes. Half of my family had been blonde and the other half red haired. Thick auburn straps of heavy hair, falling like waves in the wind kissed by sunset and fire. _**Of course**_, I ended up as a blonde. _Not anymore_.

I gathered my courage and watched my reflection. My reluctance and refusal to accept what I could see clearly before me was immature and absurd. A child was watching me from the mirror. A six years old child with black and messy hair. Not me, but a stranger. My hair was never this dark, like feathers of a crow, and neither was it ever so shaggy. My eyes were never pitch black; neither has my skin ever been so pale. Perhaps I was a little vain and exaggerated, but looking in the mirror, I didn't _feel_ like myself. My best friend used to make golden braids out of my hair.

And I was so short. Small. Frail. Childish. My face was round again, and not at all long, though it was just as small_. When did I become so attentive about myself? I will waste the whole morning in front of the mirror and be late for Academy._ I turned from the mirror with not one glance behind. _**All that was good, all that was fair, all that was me is gone.**_

Breakfast was silent. Well, Nekobaa _did_ try to get out of me what was clouding my usual merry – morning – mood. Fussing around and playing with the cats, feeding them to make the meowing choir stop. She kept telling me how my hair was still messy, how I should tuck my shirt in. I nodded at everything she said, and ignored her indications enjoying the calmness of the morning.

Don't get me wrong, I hated getting up before 10 a.m., but here in Konoha I discovered that mornings could be the best time of the day. The sun not luminous enough to bother me and the air colder than any moment of the day, and very humid. It was very refreshing and it did give me the false impression of eternal spring. Poise and calm. It almost felt like dreaming. Then I remembered I was a six years old, in a fictional world in which I was still supposed to go to an educational institution.

**Shit. I'm going to be late again. **I got up and snatched my little bag from the hanger. _Iruka – sensei is going to be __**pissed off. **_Again. Well, I was unfair, Iruka never got that angry with us, kids. No. _Only with Naruto._ _**Everyone **__gets annoyed with Naruto. He is in his childhood, remember? Bratty and eager to attract attention at all cost. _And lonely. And marginalized. **AND WHY AM I ARGUING WITH MYSELF MENTALLY?! **I shook my head.

This had to stop, before I developed an inner, like Sakura. _That_ would be a living nightmare. What was worse was the ease with which I was thinking about these characters like they were my best buddies since forever. _Well, we all go to the Academy, and we all know each other more and less. _Yes, but when did it become so comfortable to think about them as real life _persons and not fictional characters?_ This was slightly disturbing.

"You are still here? Hurry up; you're going to be late! _Again_!" said Nekobaa appearing from the kitchen with a watering can, ready to go in the garden. I nodded and waved as I stormed out the door. _Well, you can't say it's the first time I'm late_.

Though I used to be very punctual in my first year of Academy. Always on time and taking notes, which I must say few did as we didn't learn theoretical material as we learned practical and survival things. Ok, admittedly, we were taught principles and the concept of chakra, but you didn't have to actually _write it down_. But I relied a lot on the visual when memorizing and understanding something, so writing things down was my way of getting involved with this new form of 'school'.

Those were the good days of Academy. After that I've got lazy and bored. After twelve years of school I really got tired of the whole hectic life of a student. _Seven hells. I never got to finish High School and experience the first day at University. _This was profoundly depressing for the little geek in me, but now wasn't the time for that. I had enough time for that when I got home for my daily evenings of psychoanalysis. I ran down the streets almost slamming into an old lady with many grocery bags. I didn't but I still clashed into a person taking his time walking and enjoying the beautiful morning. Or whatever he was doing walking _so freaking slow_!

"Watch where you're going, kid!"

Who the hell walks so slow? _Well, people who aren't late_. Again. _I can see the Academy!_ I could still make it on time! Well, usually when I tell myself that, I _don't_ make it on time. I rushed almost breaking the door – no, not really, I was too lithe to do that – and into the class. In the first days, I've been very curious to see if there was other classes in the building than the one shown in the anime. Oh, there were, but I had no idea for what since we never used them and I personally have never seen anyone entering or leaving any of them. Then I've learnt that other students were there who had other timetables than us. Thinking that we were the only class of students in the whole Academy was, admittedly, _very_ stupid.

I stopped before the door of the class. _What if __**I am**__ late?_ I came closer to the door listening. _Well, this isn't really helping. I can't hear anything._ Of course I couldn't. Iruka – sensei wasn't exactly a person to shout or speak _too_ loud. And, of course I stopped because … I was a coward. Yes, beyond this door was a class full of six years old children. And I was a little…. terrified. _This is so stupid. And absurd. _But_, _ indeed I was feeling like a little timid child in her first day at school. But this was not my first day at the Academy, nor was I a child. The idea of entering a room full of six-years-old anime characters who weren't supposed to be real, suddenly was _beyond _absurd. Or at least I wasn't supposed to be here. I didn't really care if there were other parallel worlds/universes/whatever out there, as long as I lived _**my **_life in _**my **_world. But this was completely wrong, swinging worlds and lives like yeah whatever, sure, let's go to Westeros and be a Lannister, or no, let's help Jamie Fraser and enjoy those kilts. _You're a witch Harriet…_ where the Hel did that come from?

"Kaya-chan? What are you doing?"

_Very good question. _I cursed silently at my mini introspective space out and turned from the door. Iruka was watching me with a puzzled and slightly amused expression, trying to figure out what was I doing. His question summed up the very core of my dilemma and new life. What _was _I _doing_? I looked away from the teacher, searching desperately for something. _ANITHING at all would be wonderful, __**mind.**_

"I was…. thinking." I ended up saying lamely.

Iruka was a little taken aback by the half-lie and eyed me suspiciously. In the end he must have decided that I was being just a weird kid because he smiled tolerantly and approached. _Ignorance is bliss._

"I see. You should hurry inside, Kaya, the class is about to start".

_Is he actually giving me a chance to _not_ be late? Aw._ I nodded and busted inside giving everyone in the class a mini heart attack, and almost 'teleported' myself to my seat. At least I was NOT late.

Ҩ

I loved the Academy. Well, no, not really, but I loved the lunch breaks. _**Everybody**__ loves lunch breaks, clotpole._ Back home we didn't have such a thing in school. We had only one break a little longer than the other, just a tease really. Here, we had an hour to relax, eat, do whatever we want, with the exception of burning the Academy or village down, crush the Hokage Mountain and slaughter the majority of the population and generally anything that would hurt someone or damage something. Or get us outside the Academy thereabouts. Heh, these people had no idea what was coming in the future. The one thing that I really didn't like about the break was _socializing_. But I was good at blending with the surroundings and not attracting attention. The other girls might have wanted to chat and play at some point but I managed to slip away and retreat somewhere alone.

Could anyone blame me? They weren't supposed to exist! Or admitting that this all was real, _**I**_ was not supposed to be here. Since I arrived, until this very moment when I was enjoying my turkey sandwich – yes, _turkey sandwich_, Japanese cuisine didn't really agreed with me – I have tried to stay as unnoticed as I could and find a way to get back home. Every time someone would ask me something I would panic. How do six years old act like? How was I supposed to answer? Or react, _or act_?! I was an eighteen years old person trapped in this little and well, new body. What if someone actually figured out I was not this… Kaya they talked about. Or was I?

Also, how was I, in a group situation, supposed to ignore that Haruno Sakura would speak with me? I loathed her character since the first time I've ever saw her in the anime. In time my hatred turned to mild annoyance. But that was not the point as I can be reasonably civil with people who annoy me. But _the hair_. I watched from a safe distance the group of girls laughing and talking in the sun of the mid day. We were outside, in the fresh air everybody was having a great time, as children do at this age, running and being impossibly active and loud. Not sulking in the shadow of the Academy's building, watching everyone, alone. Nope, I wasn't exceedingly good at blending in and adapt. But I'm excellent at contradicting myself.

Back to the pack – that wasn't the right word – group of girls. _Where are they? _From the group of six or five only two remained. _Ah, my favourite two._ Best friends. Future enemies. Both obsessively in love with a future dickhead. Sakura was looking down, shy and kind of adorable, stealing glances around when she thought no one looked and Ino was leaning along a wall, confidently smiling and not looking at anything in particular. Why was Sakura the one shy? _Oh. She used to get bullied_. She _is_ being bullied. Because of her forehead, which was **normal.** Sure, it was a little bigger as in higher and wider, but back home my mother used to say that intelligent people, usually have big foreheads. Of course, that didn't mean that her pinkish hair wasn't putting me off. Don't get me wrong, I've seen other crazy hair colors – turquoise, grass green, indigo – but they were _dyed_ colors. Sakura's hair was natural and, well, for me plain weird.

I smirked as Ino said something I couldn't make out because of the distance. If I got through the Massacre I would love to make her life a living hell. I hated her in her genin years. Too bitchy, too confident, too ignorant and superficial. She would mature, both of them would, but until then they were only silly girls playing at being ninja, without knowing what that meant. _Does any of us know?_ That was a good point. Here I was isolated and too much of a coward to speak to anyone, too afraid that something I do would change the course of the future. While denying the existence of this world. So logical and rational.

A sharp sound almost made me jump out of my skin. I looked around trying to identify the source of the sound. My eyes landed on Shikamaru who was most probably sleeping, on a small and low leveled table, with Kiba and Akamaru playing around and Shino watching them – I think? Who could tell through those glasses. Were children even supposed to wear something like that? Wouldn't it affect their eyes? – while Choji was eating … something. _It didn't come from there._ It was weird how… normal they looked. I mean, in the anime they had impossible hair colors – Sakura's hair for the name of the Vala – and weird styles – Shikamaru, Hinata…_Wait, where is Hinata?_ Probably hiding somewhere, stalking Naruto. She was my favorite. Silent, caring, kind. I hated her shyness, it made her vulnerable and caused her to censure her emotions and reactions a lot, but also made her incredibly empathic, but she was somehow more mature than _those two_.

And thinking about Hinata… _Oh_. _The noise. _ I stretched my neck to the far end of the yard. The wall of the Academy was sprinkled with red paint. _Why must it always be red?_ The symbol was simple drawn by a shaky hand, proof that the author was a _real artist_. So abstract that I couldn't decide it that was a straight line or a curve. Or both. _How did he even make that? _Because, of course, the beaux-arts genius was no one else but _Jesus Christ_. A spiky blonde haired Jesus kid who now had red splashes of paint on his whiskered face. His cerulean eyes were filled with mischievous intent and satisfaction with his handy work. _Oh Vala… Iruka will have a fit._ This was the hero that the whole village would acknowledge. Scratch that. This whole **world** will acknowledge him. I shook my head, smiling.

Suddenly there was a change. Not a big one, but my contemplative state was interrupted as a shadow appeared not so far from me to my left. Was I so distracted not to observe someone coming here? The wind was blowing in the branches and leaves. That's how sun reached me, in spots of shadow and light, and the arrival of this new and unwanted person. From all future rookies I already inventoried only one escaped my attention, not really forgotten more like I didn't want to think about, left somewhere in the back of my mind like a buried thought.

I ignored him, maybe a little too obvious but we were kids so I doubted he noticed. The said person took a 'seat' on the prominent roots of the tree, not far from me. I glanced at him and was met with pitch black eyes. _Yet they hold none of the emptiness that will come._ It was so infuriating knowing the plot. How was I supposed to talk to these children and be objective and not see them as the future teenagers _I knew_ they would become? Perhaps if I really, really tried to get to know them and accept that I was in this word now I _could_ adapt and not be so conflicted. But I made no effort in that direction. No. I didn't felt like. After all, this entire world wasn't real, so nothing that was happening here was real.

I watched as strands of my dark hair danced in the wind, in front of my eyes. It contrasted with the green grass, blending with it like waves of a sea. I sighted thinking of my once golden curls.

"Why do you sit here?"

I turned my head towards Uchiha Sasuke. He was eating something tightly wrapped and looked at me with sharp innocent eyes. It was weird. Creepy. This is the kid that will desert the village, kill his brother, put a hole through his female team mate and try to wipe out his village. And yet here he is, a child of six years old watching me with mild curiosity and annoyment generated by my lack of response. We were children that meant no Massacre yet, no plans of fratricide, no wiping out the Village. Then I began to panic. _He will definitely figure out I'm not six years old_. Yet how could he? He was a child, ignorant and yet reasonably creepy. Wasn't Sasuke at this age trying to please his father and be like his brother?

"I don't like the sun" I shrugged my shoulders. "Or heat"

He looked at me, as if pondering what I said and then nodded accepting my vague response. This kid was… weird. Well, they all were but that was because of my utmost hatred for children, rather than themselves being weird. I did not perceive them as another child would. I perceived them as an awkward almost adult person would. This would be perfectly normal if I wasn't physically a child in another word, in another culture. _So many 'other'._

"Why do you sit alone?"

_How would he react if I'd just storm off? _Probably he would be confused. But **this **Uchiha Sasuke did not deserve this. He was just a curious kid, trying to communicate with his fellow Uchiha. _Or possible Uchiha._ I still had doubts, since I had no idea who my parents were. Perhaps it should have occurred to me that one of the loneliest characters of the anime has come to sit with me. I should have, because it meant my plan to pass as unnoticed as possible, was failing miserably.

"No one sits here, and I like the silence"

_This isn't how a young child speaks_. Yet, considering my background, that wasn't surprising was it? An orphan being raised by a clan who considered her a bastard. I would be prone to loneliness and quietness. I glanced at Sasuke. _This is so weird. And wrong. _He was exactly as depicted in the anime, and yet he wasn't, at the same time. He was small, and childish, with the thick back hair and black eyes, contrasting with a pale complex, but not unnaturally pale. _Yet. _I sighted. _Again_. I didn't know what to make out of **this** Uchiha Sasuke. **This** Sasuke was yet untainted of the hatred that would, in the end, consume him. All I could see now was a fade character. A child.

_But wouldn't all of them be the same_? Were they not children with no worries, no definite personalities? Of course. I had no idea how to act around them. Not when I knew so much _about _them. What could you talk about with a person when you knew everything about that person? _No. this doesn't help._ If I were to stay in this world for…who knows how much time, I should at least make sure that everything stays in accordance with the anime. That way I knew _exactly _what will happen. I couldn't even imagine not knowing what would happen. I would feel like this. Empty, lost. _And if I am empty the whole world is empty_. My perception was distorted by this … feeling. _When did I let emotions affect my thinking? _This was troubling.

"Ah, everybody, we shall head towards the training ground. The break is ov – NARUTO?! WHAT IS THAT ON THE ACADEMY'S WALL?!"

_I knew it._

* * *

_**Oh, Hi there. Yep, a little late with this chapter. I wanted to post is earlier but…. School. I should, however, be able to post the next one in a few days. No promises though. The next one deals with a significant event. One that will change Kaya. A lot. And the perspective. And basically everything. I just hope to succeed doing that and not ending up continuing just the same. Again, I'm very sorry for the mistakes, but I'll be correcting it like 10 times after I post it I'm never satisfied with the result. I imagine Kaya being in this state of almost-dreaming. Losing the grasp on reality. But that will have to change if she want to survive ^_^. We all know what's coming. I want to thank Blackenflames. First review ever received and for that I truly am grateful. I do enjoy character development and do not worry. Even IF Kaya is an Uchiha do not forget that not all Uchihas are crazy powerful or hateful or whatever. **_


	4. Easy is the descent into Hell

**Chapter IV: Easy is the descent into Hell.**

"Kaya, do you know what your name means?"

I looked at Nekobaa from my cereal bowl. Mikasa extended its paw to my arm, begging for some milk. The other cats were outside or somewhere in the house napping and leaving fur everywhere. Only this orange cat was meowing and following me all around the house and garden, never letting me out of her sight. _I wonder if she considers me a little kitten_. I've read somewhere, sometime ago, when I first took Tommy in, that cats consider us bigger felines and that they imitate our behavior and gestures. _That is actually a scary thought._ If cats did that they would rule the world. And again, that would be _scary_.

The garden was beautiful. Now, fresh after rain, plants seemed to emanate green. The color was so vivid. It was easy to accept that all this is a dream. Perhaps these six years were only a long dream, compressed in ten hours of sleep. It would be the most realistic dream I've ever had, perfect for a book or a fanfic. I almost snorted at the thought. I couldn't write even a bloody Christmas card.

"Torreya nucifera" I answered. "Yew tree. Or more precisely, nutmeg – yew. A tree".

I looked back at Nekobaa playing with the cereals in the bowl. I wasn't hungry anymore. _Well, she did say a less stupid name. _I remembered that woman again. The blonde one. _Well, I'm a tree. It's not __**that**__ bad. _

"It also means resting place" Nekobaa said smiling. "It's quite fitting, isn't it Kaya – chan?"

I didn't agree. To be frankly, I didn't care. As long as she didn't use 'chan' after my name. I understood that Japanese used honorifics, but I disregarded them. Too mouth – filling. I for one would _never_ use them. Nekobaa was sewing something. _It's that… the Uchiha fan?_ It seemed so. _I will have my own clothes with the clan symbol. _But was it my clan? The past week I've been obsessing with the thought. That and another. _When did the Massacre happen in the anime?_ Or manga. Or whatever. It was exhausting waiting a mass – murder event to happen. Really.

_I don't suppose I will actually survive it._ Wasn't this the plan? Every Uchiha member shall die except Sasuke and well, Itachi? I might not remember things from the manga but I did remember this. And yet I had no memory of precisely _when_ it happened. I knew Sasuke was a child. But was he five? Was he six? Was he seven? Or even older? I couldn't remember. _It's not like they will announce to the world that they want to take over the village. _I wish they had. They would make everyone's lives a lot easier.

I couldn't sleep at night. Unless I exhausted myself, staying awake, often reading, hours and hours until my eyes burnt. Then I would fall asleep in weird angles, when the sun was almost rising. _And the headaches._ Excruciating headaches, which would last days. I thought it was because I read at night and because I wasn't getting proper rest. This, until Nekobaa found me in bed, not being able to move even a finger without generating waves of pain through my brain. She went after a medic, with a livid face. To my surprise, the problem wasn't reading or the lack of sleep – although they contributed a lot – as much as it was an ocular tension generated by astigmatism. I've never ever, _ever_, in my life had problems with my eyes. And I had this feeling that they did not tell me everything. I might not know a lot about ocular problems, but I doubted that astigmatism required eye drops. _Well, whatever. It's funny really, an Uchiha with eye problems._ Considering that their kekkei genkai was the Sharingan, which was pretty much dependent to the well functioning of the eye. _A __dōjutsu_. Kekkei genkai abilities that work via the user's eye. I could picture with my mind eye the history book of the notable clans of Konoha from the Library. It took me a while understanding what the hell kekkei genkai means in the first place. I mean, who uses that terminology, as if we all are specialists in genetics?

I shook my head. Too much thinking. I noticed that Nekobaa was watching me as if expecting something. Has she been talking? _It seems so_. I blinked, as the Cat Granny sighed.

"You didn't hear anything I just said." It was a statement. The granny sighed again almost exasperated. "I am leaving this afternoon. You have food here and your clothes are clean. Don't burn the house until I come back."

_I won't, unless someone else does. _

"Yes, Nekobaa" I said taking my bowl and letting it slip in the sink. I cursed again my shortness. I couldn't wait until I grew, as puerile as it sounded. I used to be fairly tall and it wouldn't bother me to be so again. _It's unlikely._ Judging by my feet and short legs, yes it seemed pretty unlikely. _That if I don't get killed by Itachi or Obito before growing even an inch._

"I'm going for a walk" I told Nekobaa.

She shook her head, disapproving my alternative of spending my time. Who could judge her? What child prefers taking long walks alone instead of playing with other children? _Apparently me._ I abandoned my plan of trying to be a six years old since I told Iruka that, man stands face to face with the irrational; he feels within him his longing for happiness and for reason... and that, the absurd is born of this confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world. It just ... slipped . _He had it coming. _He wanted to know why wasn't I playing with the others and I told him. _I've known_, as soon as I opened my mouth to talk that my answer was ridiculously exaggerated, straight from the book, but curiosity burned me on the inside. His reaction had been priceless. He just half smiled with a baffled expression, vaguely twching. _100% Worth it._

"Why don't you go play or talk with the other children?" offered the cat granny. "You might have some fun".

I seriously doubted. I smiled at the worried face of the granny and left. I couldn't blend with the others, most likely I would get frustrated or tired of the constant shouting and fidgeting of the children. I needed my time alone. To think. To plan. To sulk. _Does it remind you of someone else? __**Not now.**_ I didn't need that. I needed to list what I knew about Naruto and how I could use it in my advantage.

My feet knew the road without my constant attention. I had a route, from the Uchiha part of the village to the village itself. Yes, there was a difference, since the compound and the lands that the clan used were in a corner of the whole village, ostracized from the rest of the community. If I remembered and understood correctly we were under heavy surveillance. ANBU, watching closely every move of the clan members. That thought alone was creepy as hell. Adding that to that my theory that I was observed by both Nekobaa and Iruka. And those were only the people I directly interacted with.

_Ha, Iruka keeping an eye on my progress for the village and Nekobaa for the Uchiha._ They weren't trying very hard; I was after all just a kid, not really a threat to Konoha. I looked around to the people enjoying the summer day. It wasn't quite noon yet, and the morning was still young. The sun wasn't burning my skin yet so the walk could prove to be enjoyable.

_Back to the Massacre. _Yay, back to the darkest corner of my mind. _Do I really have no event to link the Massacre to? _That couldn't be. You don't just start genocide without giving out small clues. _Yes, but usually they are discovered __**after**__ the genocide._ Well, not exactly, a sociopath wouldn't – a person acting impulsively – but Itachi wasn't a sociopath or a psychopath. But he didn't have to think about leaving evidence; he even told his own brother what he has done and the village council already knew. _Danzo_. Of course, he's done that to make Sasuke hate him. But still…

What I liked most about the compound – or to be more precisely – the only thing I liked about the compound was the forest. Well, not really a forest, but something like that. _Perhaps the Uchiha were used to living surrounded by nature, by forest._ Not that they had a choice but at least they had this enrichment of trees and plants. I loved nature and this was my escape from the shattered reality I have fallen into. I smiled as I got closer to the clumps of trees. The rest of the people were lost, behind, their noises long forgotten as if I haven't even passed through them. Here only the sun, the leaves and the river spoke. I froze in my tracks. _The river._

_Shit. How could I forget?_ I cursed my mind and my ignorance. For crying out loud, it was obvious. _Painfully obvious._ The river. _The river._ The fucking river. Where Sasuke learned how to perform … that technique, trademark of the Uchiha. _ Something with 'Fireball'. _ Yes, that much was **obvious**. But before that something else happened. _Think._ I started pacing impatiently, with firm steps, closing my eyes. I tried to ignore the birds that seemed to be chirping in my ears. I hated birds. I mean, I admired their feathers and grace, but their chirping was _annoying_.

I stopped. Wasn't the river connected with Itachi's best friend death? The one he supposedly killed, but who actually gave his life and right (or left) eye to Itachi? _Yes. Because he and Itachi were against the clan's coupe d'état. _And pretended that he committed suicide, in the river. What was his name? _Shisui._ The name burned in my mind. I was quite impressed that I knew it, to be honest.

_I would know if that happened._ I mean, it wasn't everyday that someone decided to end their life. The clan would have started to hoot about this. It would, at the very least, seem suspicious. But… why would I know about it? I wasn't exactly in touch with **ANY** Uchiha member. But Shisui was an important, and if not that, then a talented member of the clan. Then I thought about how Nekobaa could talk to me and I would hear absolutely nothing. _Damn my daydreaming. _It was _highly_ possible that I didn't know about something like this.

_Did the Massacre happen immediately after Shisui's death? _ I didn't know. But I wouldn't have. For a second I imagined planning the assassination. The death of a clan member would alert the head of the clan. They would know that something is happening. They would be suspicious of anyone linked with Shisui. I shook my head. This was stupid. Even a child could deduce that_. Itachi would seem suspicious to his own father, but would he really kill his own family? No. _Or at least that's what his father would think. _Or not_.

Or perhaps he knew. He knew exactly what his eldest son will do. But didn't have the confirmation until the last minute, when he would slash his throat. He would turn to his younger son. That's why he taught Sasuke how to perform that technique. And one night, or at least that's how I remembered, Itachi killed everyone. End of the Uchiha; R.I.P Sasuke's sanity.

_Now, how much of this actually already happened?_ I liked to think that Shisui was alive and, with Itachi, happily trying to avoid a war between the village and the clan. Yeah. I _liked _to_ think._ But how could I make sure that this was the case? Walking straight to the main house of the compound and demand to talk with Uchiha Itachi didn't seem like a favorable plan.

I looked around the trees drenched in shadows and sun. I had a lot of thinking to do.

Ҩ

When I finally calmed down and sorted things out in my head, it was dark. _Nekobaa must have left hours ago_. It wouldn't be the first time she left knowing that I was somewhere in the village, wandering. The first time, she panicked and when I got home she gave me a _long_ lecture. Then I explained as simple as I could that I liked walking around the village. It was the only way I could relax except from reading. But seeing as reading would often give me headaches…

_I should head back. _I had no idea how late it was but the moon was high on the sky and the stars were clear as a mirror. I've frown at the moon. It was round and full, white in the darkness encircling her. Something about it sent chills down my spine, spreading through my body like a cold sweat. What was this feeling? Halves of memories creeping up my mind. I did not understand their meaning.

I stood up from the tall grass of the meadow I found and watched my long shadow tainting the deep green. Night changed every color and shape to its liking, playing with my mind. A great painter said once that the night was more alive and more richly colored then the day. He was right, only that all seemed an illusion. Was I now more aware of my senses then during the day? _Yes. _No, of course not.

Walking back was tedious. My feet were heavily burdened with exhaustion. For the first time in a _very_ long time, I knew I woud sleep soundly. _If only I could get faster to my bed._ But I wasn't hurrying up. There was a numbness and need of slowness in my limbs that made me calculate my every move. To put it in a nutshell, I was tired. Dead tired.

_Something is off_. The compound was silent. Was it _that_ late? I should have returned earlier, I had a body of a child, I couldn't just stay up at night like this, I had to be at the Academy in the morning. _Shit, I forgot to feed the cats._ If the Cat Granny left this afternoon no one fed them for the night and the six furry monsters will kill me in my sleep if I didn't. How idiotic could I be in one single day?

As I got closer to the streets I got the same peculiar feeling. Night painted the wooden houses around me in sinister colors, contrasting one with the other. In the air was a weird metallic scent. _What is this?_ _This is a heavy smell._ It didn't occurred to me what it was, until houses later, realizing that the wall of one of the houses wasn't blotted in paint but in blood.

I stopped dead in my tracks. _What?_ I shook my head, trying to wipe away the blurriness of the sleepy state I was in. That didn't wash the blood away from the wall. _Maybe it's murder._ No shit, Sherlock._ Maybe someone attacked whoever lives here. __**Only **__whoever lives here._ I looked around trying to calm my mind. None of the houses were clean of blood. Another one had its stairs drenched, the wood thirstily absorbing the red liquid.

_I haven't seen any corpse yet._ I hanged on that desperately. Perhaps I was dreaming. _ A dream within a dream? I want to the next level. This one is fucked up. Where is Cobb? _I tried to shake Inception out of my head. I wasn't dreaming and my body was shaking in the breeze. It wasn't cold. A weird shape got my attention in another house yard. I walked fast with my blood burning in my veins. _Adrenaline. _How nice. Perhaps_** I**_ was a psychopath after all.

_Isn't that….? _I calmly looked down to the immobile body of the lady who had the senbei shop. Her round body was in a weird angle with a red gush coming out of her stomach. _Ew. _I looked farther to the left to see her husband in almost the same state. _They are dead_. I stood stupidly stating the obvious. _But not from long time ago. _The blood was rushing out. I bet it was still warm. I got up from my knees without realizing I was in that position to start with. So close to the corpses. _These are clean cuts. Fast deaths. _At least he didn't let them agonize.

128\. That many times I have stopped that night, stumbling in my own feet and on other dead Uchiha members, all the way telling myself how this was absurd, impossible and ironical. _This wasn't supposed to happen. Not __**now**__._ Or was it? Wasn't I lying to myself? I looked around with a feeling that the whole compound was spinning with me. The smell of blood was all over me. I bet I was covered from head to toe. Washed in the blood of so many I have checked, stupidly to make sure they were dead and falling like a child learning how to walk_. Shock. It's shock._

The moon was all over the place. As was blood. In the black spots, the astral light seemed silver, remote and unyielding. The pale bodies were expose to the clear full moon as if exposed to the public. An exposition, a spectacle and a lesson. I failed to see it. All I could see were spots of shadows and firmaments of reality. I was drowning in blood, corpses and despair. But everything felt as if I was watching from somewhere far away. This couldn't be me running like a scared rabbit falling in a pool of blood and getting up once more. Where was the calmness from the meadow?

Numb. A numb pain governing over despair, spreading in my feet, painting the ground in dark ruby splashes over the ground. Earth was drowned and infested with this sticky liquid. The bent limbs of the lifeless bodies around me reminded me oddly of a feast. A feast of the dead. **A feast for crows.** I felt a scream clinging to my throat. It was hiding right behind my vocal chords. If couldn't let it out. I wouldn't stop.

My mind wasn't here. No. It was somewhere in the heavy bloodied air. _How many of these corpses will be full of maggots until tomorrow_? Almost all of them. I stopped to a tree to empty my stomach. _Stupid morbid thoughts. _I was sweating like a pig and the sweet metallic smell made me throw up again, again and again until there was nothing more than a green liquid coming out. _That is bile_. I've never had problems with it._ Even now, I make things all about me._ Then again I never went through a mass – murder experience before. _That person's femur was eaten. I wonder where the splinters went. _I've never seen a bone broken like that, like glass. Wasn't sure it was possible until now.

_By the Angel, this is bad._ I coughed violently almost making myself vomit again. My insides burned and a sharp pain was pulsing in my stomach. _I made myself sick._ Yes, indeed, because having dozens of corpses mauled in multiple ways was absolutely no reason to be sick. Just another normal day, well night, in the Uchiha compound.

I made myself laugh. I did not recognize my laugh. It was more an agonizing scrape escaping a contracted throat. _I must be feverish._ The tree I was kneeing before seemed awfully cold. The ground was hard and harsh beneath my legs and as I discovered a second later, beneath my check as well. _Oh shit_. I wanted _so_ bad to sleep. _So bad_.

A moment later something shifted. I scrambled to my knees. I couldn't get up. Well, this is surprising. There was this sickening smell, sour and sweet at the same time. _Oh my Vala, tell me I have not fallen in my own vomit. _I didn't have time to check out, the shadow that caught my attention proved to have a human shape.

"Hello Itachi"

In a million years I wouldn't have imagined that my voice could sound this calm. Or void of despair, provided the situation I was in. It was a child voice granted but so collected. My breath was, however, uneven and the voice threaten to break into a hoarse one. As if I've been shouting for hours, but I haven which was _exactly _the problem.

"Kaya"

It felt stupid to be surprised that he knew my name. _He would know it. I am the bastard of the Uchiha._ And well, they were known to have exceptionally good memory. Speaking of memories, I went back three weeks ago when we were in full summer and heat was merciless with any living creature. That day in which I met both of them. Itachi was carrying Sasuke on his back. I remember thinking how cute they looked, Sasuke on his brother's back keeping close a small bow and a quiver. That was new to me. Archery wasn't a very ninja thing. Or at least I didn't know. Of course, Sasuke wasn't exactly a shinobi, since he was six years old. To my surprise he was the one who saluted me. He even explained enthusiastically how he helped Itachi with his mission to kill a wild boar. He was stealing glances at his older brother seeking approval and recognition. It was weird seeing him so … normal. Like the child he was. Itachi on the other hand…

"Are you going to kill me, Itachi?" I asked. My voice was neutral and it almost scared me. Where was the weakness and desperation? But I did not feel any of them. I almost felt euphoric if not a little drunk.

"Go to sleep, Kaya".

_Good idea_. I stiffed at the sharp pain in my stomach, clutching the section of the abdomen I knew corresponded to it. The pain was agonizing. Everything was agonizing. And I was tired, so tired. I wasn't aware of my surroundings anymore. Not really. My mind was wrapped in blood and vomit and stung with desperation and spite. I abandoned myself in darkness as I did six years ago, but no cold comforted me, no icy stings, all was eaten by a suffocating heat and a fire burning me until the last strand of my being turned to ash and cinder.

Three weeks later the whole Village Hidden in the Leaves, if not the entire Land of Fire knew of the Uchiha Massacre, everyone with its own version.

* * *

**Three days. It took me three days to write this chapter. Not because it was particularly hard to write but because I got laaaaazyyyyyyyyyy . I have no school for two weeks and I spend every minute sleeping. Just sleeping. I love sleep. I haven't slept at least 7 hours at night since forever. But enough with complaining. The hard part passed. YAY! Now begins the hard AND fun part ^_^. Thank you very much for the support, Blackenflames ( a hit you say? ;) ) and welcome to the review section belladu57 ! I tried not to speed things up but I didn't want to spend more chapters than necessary in the first years. I hope the chapter doesn't seem hurried up! Oh, I almost forgot. 'Kaya' means many things, the full list (I think) : Restful place, yew tree, forgiveness, home, stone, willow, wise child, the one with the beautiful mind. Constructive criticism is MUCH appreciated! ^_^**

**Descensus averno facilis est.**


	5. Never trust a duck

**Chapter V: Never trust a duck**.

The first lights found me in the bathroom brushing Mikasa's fur. In the last week she's been throwing up balls of fur all over the place and it was _**slightly**_ disgusting. I woke up at 5 a.m to be hit by something sticky and warm right in my face. _Disgusting cat_. Only the thought was turning my stomach. Now, she was purring content as I pulled the brush out of her fur. _The little bastard_. She even closed her eyes. And to think that she is the only one that remained. I haven't seen the others in years, since … that.

"Now you're sleeping and not vomiting on my face, aren't you? You little shit."

One hour after brushing the cat I was in the kitchen eating. I tangled my fingers through the damp hair trying to dry it faster. _Yeah, that won't happen_. The sun was almost dim in the small kitchen. _Good_. The sun was my new archenemy. I could tell that it was shining bright just by the wandering rays on the table. _I have to put the eye drops. _I hated them too.

Mikasa meowed loud purring and begging for some extra food. _I regret so much castrating you._ She got really round and full of puffy fat. I was to blame but I could take the night full of meowing anymore. She got bigger and bigger as much as I got thinner and thinner. That was my response to stress and emotions. Yes, _emotions_.

I started braiding my hair. _Why did I let it grow this long?_ It wasn't _extremely_ long, not even brushing my waist. _Not yet_. Then I remembered that I wasn't capable of always making sure to cut it to a certain length, so I just to let it grow. _It isn't dry yet_. It would dry in the braid. _Ha. I will look like Katpiss Evergreen._ I looked at my long, dark braid, dangling on my shoulder. Better than getting in my eyes. I had been horribly wrong years ago. I tried to cut it out of my face…. And it got slightly _curlier_ and by slightly I meant Claire Fraser version. It was so annoying I decided to let it grow so it would straiten. IT DIDN'T.

_I think I'm quite ready_. I got up and looked to the tiny apartment. Nope, I haven't forgotten anything. Mikasa protested when I got close to the door turning to her food bowl. I ignored her long meowing while getting out of the door and locking it. Starting from today, she was on diet.

_I really hate sun_. I felt like a plant kept in the basement for too long and now dragged out in the sun. It was pure agony walking down the streets of the village. _Maybe I should start wearing sun glasses like Shino. _That would complete my black appearance, indeed. When I got to the Academy I was surprised to observe that I wasn't late. _This is odd._ Being late was my personal touch to my scholarisation at the Academy. To brake it now, at the end… I sighed dramatically to myself and looked after my seat…. which was occupied. _What the Hell? That is my spot_. In my seat was a girl I have never talked in _my_ entire life at the Academy but apparently decided to steal _my_ seat. I waved the thought away. It was the last day, did it really matter anymore? _The last day at the Academy. _Ha. The exam day. I smiled suddenly feeling that today became a thousand times better. I loved exams. Tests, examinations, you name it. The whole atmosphere was tensed with students talking nervously and laughing a little louder then usually (which was fucking LOUD). _And here I stand excited about getting over with the whole thing._ All these years wasted on learning … nothing. Or at least, nothing I couldn't have learnt on my own. The same problem with the schools in our world really.

"Are you going to sit, or continue blocking the entrance?"

I turned, surprised not realizing exactly how much time I've been sitting there with people going around and trying not to bump into me. A very bored twelve years old, or something like that, Nara Shikamaru was expecting my answer as he sat down on a random seat. I narrowed my eyes disapproving. _People like this steal other people's seats._

"I was actually contemplating if ducks are truly evil" I answered taking the seat beside him. "I fed them once poultry pie by the lake and they ate every piece of it. Bloodthirsty little beast" I gazed into nothingness.

"And? What was your conclusion?" He asked mildly curious and somehow amused. I looked to him as serious as I could and accentuated each word.

"_**Never trust a duck**_".

He snorted and returned to his sleepy state but with a ting of amusement, as I was feeling proud that I was the cause of it. I smiled content with my bad joke. _My jokes are bad, and I should feel bad._ Especially when they are borrowed from books that don't exist in this world. _Yep, I __**should**__._ I slowly shook my head still amused with myself. Bless me for entertaining myself. From the entrance came Choji and I knew he would come here since Shikamaru was also here. _Oh, look how sociable I am in my last day at the Academy. _More than I've been all twelve years. _Twelve years._ The realization hit me like a punch in my gut as it always did when I remembered. _Who forgets that they spent twelve years in one place?_

"Hello Choji, may I take I chip? I love chips."

His salute died on his lips the moment I opened my mouth and addressed him. He froze, his mind taking in the new phenomen, while Shikamaru eyed me suspiciously, not bothering to completely turn to me, just sort of dangling on the desk half awake. I raised my eyebrows watching them. _I never said I'm socially incapable_. In the end Choji awoke from the shock, a little confused, his round face lighting up with enthusiasm.

"May I?" I repeated amused, pointing to the chips bag he was holding.

"Ye- Of cour-sure!"

_Four words at the same time_. I served myself from his chip bag ignoring the surprised and confused expressions of the two. _They must think I'm a wacko. _I smiled to myself which was probably not helping at the moment and I could see the two exchanging a worried glances. _DON'T LAUGH AS FLOKY._ I didn't, thank the Vala.

"Good morning, today you will be taking you final exam at the Academy".

Already? _The faster, the better_. I had a hungry cat at home that would begin to eat my rose geranium. Iruka was in front of the classroom addressing to the students I didn't notice coming in after me. _Soo observant_.

"If your name is called, come to the classroom next door" Iruka continued. "The subject will be replication technique"

_What a shock_. Well, actually some voices in the classroom did express their surprise and my eyes landed on a spiky blonde head. I couldn't say how he took the news since all I could see was his back. But since I know the bloody plot, he wasn't particularly thrilled about it. _He seems so damn lonely. _As cliché as it was, I couldn't put it better. I knew he was having a mini panic attack just from hearing of what our exam consisted of. And he had no one to share that to. To talk. To listen and learn that seeking attention won't get you friends. _But that will change._ I stopped myself from feeling pity for Naruto. He was strong enough to get pass that in time. All I had to do was watch and make sure that everything goes according to the plot. That I alone had in my head. And I had to make sure it didn't change. _OH MY VALAR. I AM GOD._

"Uchiha Kaya"

_Hugh?_ I got on my feet as soon as my brain caught up with what everything that was happening. _Damn. This becomes a habit._ I've always forgotten that I was _before_ Sasuke and not after as absurd as that sounded. And speaking of the other Uchiha, I peaked from the corner of my eye to see the dark haired future dickhead. Yes, I _peaked_, because somewhere deep down I felt guilt when it came to Sasuke. You can imagine my _absolute thrill_ when my eyes collided with black ones of the person already mentioned. I averted my eyes and exited the classroom. _ Have I mentioned how much I hated humans? _Yes, yeas I did.

Ҩ

I looked at the crimson drenched in deep purple sky with the strong urge to vomit again. _Damn my stomach. I _ crawled my way down from the roof and back into the house. My limbs were so heavy that I collapsed on my bed and on Mikasa's tail.

"Yeah, yeah I'm sorry!" I snapped annoyed by the meowing burst that followed as the cat got up and turned furious to me. "Not in mood for you shit".

The cat ignored me. _Of course. She's an animal._ I could feel my stomach calming and slowly the sudden nausea was fading. tI was the third time I emptied my stomach today. The reason? I had no idea. It was an automatic reaction to random things. Unless I was the new Virgin Mary. _No, this is psychological. _I snorted. Really?

After a couple of other minutes or hours I got up and headed to the kitchen. I had to eat. If I continued like this I could seriously get ill. It was bad enough that I couldn't sleep; not eating would be _too_ much. _If I don't sleep, I can't think .If I don't eat, I can't live._ I opened the fridge scowling as I could feel the beginning of a headache. _Let's see. Old food, old food, gross food, not food, old food, still not food, ramen. _This was ironical. I hated ramen but apparently I had nothing else to eat because _someone_ forgot to do the groceries. I picked the ramen and cat food as I could feel the presence of the little monster.

"Here you go, little ball of fat" I said as I opened the can with Mikasa's food and empty it in her bowl. "At least one of us manages to store fat for the winter. Little piglet".

The cat didn't even glanced at me, once she saw the full bowl. I sighed, sitting in my unmade bed and eating. _At least this much food to have in my stomach. Perhaps this time it stays there._ I wasn't hungry, but I was feeling much better now after vomiting, as strange as that was. _Perhaps I should have a checkup._ Weren't we supposed to, now that we were genin? Since we were supposed to be photographed for our profiles, I guessed we would also have gone through a medical checkup. It made sense to. _If not I'll have to ask for an appointment at the hospital._ How nice.

This brought me back to today's exam. I passed as I was expecting, although that didn't mean I hadn't been nervous like a scared chicken when examined. Chakra was so unnatural for me. For three years I've been trying to get used with it, to use it but even today it felt alien to me. Yes, I've been able to perform a simple jutsu as Clone Technique, but I wouldn't be as confident about other justus. I could do them, but I wasn't satisfied with them. At times like these I would regret not being raised by a family of shinobi. By a family for the matter. By parents to explain me what the fuck should I feel or do, or tell me what _I'm doing wrong_. But no… I only attended the Academy, sit a writing exam and passed a practical one and I still have no idea what being a shinobi really is. Rewind, actually I was only a genin, of course I didn't know what being a ninja was.

I sighed. Did I always used to contradict myself like this, or it got worse since _**that**_ night? _No. _Yes. **Wonderful.** Perhaps I should find a good psychologist. Or psychiatrist. _ But not those from the hospital_. Those were idiots that don't know what the fuck they're doing. After Itachi killed the entire clan, I woke up in a bed, connected to some beeping machines and with a smiling lady who introduced herself as Dr. Whatever. She was a psychiatrist. We spend an entire hour talking about candies. Yes, candies and how do they make me feel. Retarded, I tell you.

I shifted and my forehead protector came untied from my arm. I _have no idea what to do with this._ I didn't want to wear it the classical way, as its name deemed, but I had no other idea where to tie it. I didn't have the creativity of Ino, Sakura, Hinata to actually make it look more like an accessory. _It isn't an accessory you fool, it's a symbol and its purpose is to protect your forehead, clotpole._ Nah. I would see what to do with it in the morning. _Probably I'll just tie it back on my arm._ After all I had to get up early for the explanatory meeting. ….and I was kind of scared of. It would be the first time that my presence in this world would disrupt the normal course of events._ Or maybe not._ There were 10 teams, three of which I knew and the others I had no interest in. But I wouldn't fit in any, for the simple fact that I wasn't supposed to be _here_.

Twelve years…. Added to eighteen. But I didn't feel that old. I didn't feel old, I felt just…. lost. As if age, appearance, personality and mind didn't mattered anymore. I felt **broken**. I wasn't even certain who I was anymore. But, well, this world wasn't done with me as it got me through the Massacre. It would have been so much easier if I would have died then. Another death. Been there, done that. I shook my head. _Enough self pity. I must get some sleep._ I put the bowl and did just that. I was tired of this reality.

At four in the morning I was emptying my stomach once again in the toilet.

Ҩ

_This is fucking ridiculous._ I watched the black hair stick weirdly in air. _ It really does look like a chicken's butt. _Sasuke turned his head as if he could hear my thoughts. _Genius._ He narrowed his eyes when I didn't avert my eyes. _Well, this isn't at all weird_. It didn't help that I was right behind him. I opened my mouth to speak, when I heard a loud thump from the entrance of the classroom.

"FIRST!"

_What the hell?_ I watched the blond and the pinkie panting hard as if they've been running from the other side of the village until now. _Oh, that's right._ I forgot about the rivalry between Ino and Sakura. _Yeah, it isn't like one of the most important factors that mature Sakura._ I was a genius, truly. _How can they speak so loud that it reverberates in the whole class? _

"I win again, Sakura" said Ino smiling with superiority.

"What are you talking about? My toe entered the class before yours by a centimeter."

"You must be joking me" I sighed as they started to argue about whose toe entered the class first. .Hell. Then I remembered what happens. _Oh shit. Shit. Too much socialization. Abort mission. _

"Ohayou Sakura-chan!"

"Get out of my way"

_Too late. She's here._

"O-Ohayou, Sasuke-kun!"

_Yeah, good luck with that_. I looked at the pink haired girl with amazement. I mean. Who shoves a person so fast out of their way? _Poor Naruto._ The blonde was somewhere behind Sakura. I should have befriended him. I felt a pang of guilt. I knew exactly how lonely he was – both of them were – and ignored it. I turned to Sasuke who just ignored Sakura.

"That's rude" I said catching his attention. "You could at least return the salute".

"Can I sit next to you?" continued Sakura taking full advantage of what I said and hoping her dear Sasuke-kun would talk to her. _Damn you Sakura. Maybe he would have if you didn't force it._ No, probably he wouldn't have.

"Hey! I'm going to sit next to him."

_Valar give me patience_. Ino came straight up to Sakura and caught her elbow. _This is a good time to escape_. Or it would have been if other girls didn't block my desk. I turned to Sasuke who was ignoring the little gathered crowd of girls.

"Know what? Never mind" I said getting up. "I understand perfectly".

"And who are you?" _The proud lord said… . _ Ino inquired even bothering to stop arguing with Sakura. _I should stop relating things to Game of Thrones. _Yes I _should_. I looked at the blonde. I never understood why some people would consider Ino prettier than Sakura. Granted, she was just a child yet, barely in the beginning of puberty. Yet, looking at Sakura's delicate and slender form with thick, long and _very _pink hair, contrasting with green eyes, Ino was just another blonde. I couldn't stand either of them, anyway, but given the chance to choose between Ino and Sakura, I would choose the later, not for the looks but for the brains.

"I'm no one" I said elbowing some girls. "If you excuse me…" _There goes the plan to make her life a living Hell._ Oh, shut up.

But then, who said that trying to get out of a crowded desk is easy? _In Naruto world_? In any world. Hard. _Very hard_. Especially when everybody stops. I frowned, confused following their gazes.

" Oh, no. What is that idiot doing?" I whispered to myself not being able to stop myself from speaking out loud.

_It's __**that**__ moment_. I snickered at the sight of Naruto standing on Sasuke's desk, their faces centimeters away. _It's like he __**wanted**__ that to happen. _ Who stands so close to their rival's face anyway? Cheers for all the NaruSasu shippers. _Perv_. I wasn't a pervert. _Yes, yes I am a shipper and it includes one another. _

"Naruto! Stop staring at Sasuke-kun!"

"No" I giggled at Sakura. "This is going to be good, just watch". Sakura looked at me confused and still very uncomfortable with Naruto standing so close to her beloved_. If only she knew… _And then the kid that was standing behind Naruto moved. Yes, I've been very observant to the details of the whole scene. No, I wasn't into Yaoi thing, but damn this was going to be good material for blackmailing. _Look at me, I'm so evil. _

"Sorry" said the guy who provided the gayest moment I've ever watched as a kid back in my world.

Everything went mute. Of course I started laughing. _This_! Not even Naruto or Sasuke reacted at their unintended kiss. And when they did, the entire class was outraged. _That glorious view. _Oh, vala, someone should remind them or better, make them do this after they defeat Kaguya. That would be **HILARIOUS.**

"Naruto, I'm going to kill you…"

"My mouth is going to rot"

"Was this my fault?"

"Haha, now we know why you ignore every girl in the class, Sasuke" I laughed as the two tried to wipe out their mouths. "But I didn't know that Naruto swings that way as well".

I swear Sasuke was planning to skin me alive.

"Kaya-chan!"

Sakura put an end to my laughter as I looked at her surprised. _She knows my name? _We're in the same class. _We never interacted._ I'm a good student. _She has higher marks._ Concurrence, much? _Nah, I'm not __**that **__good. _Until my inner monologue ended, Sakura and the rest of the girls in the class took care of Naruto. As in he was now beaten to a pulp, in a seat next to Sakura and Sasuke which was ironical, really.

"Good morning class" Iruka entered the class oblivious to the daily drama. He didn't bother to ever use the chair that was provided to the dais and I was grateful for that. I was tired of the assholes that pretended to be teachers from my world. "Starting today, you are all official ninjas, but … you are all still genins. From here it's going to get harder." _You have no idea._" You will all be placed in a cell of three, under a Jounin teacher."

_This is it_. I wasn't supposed to be part of the class so our number was uneven. _I can't be the only one to have noticed this._ But everything was ok, as long as those three fuckers ended up in the same team. _No, all the teams must be the same. _Shit. That's right. All should be the same, since the anime wasn't constituted only by the three that were right in front of me. I searched in the class the other rookies. As Shikamaru would say, this was troublesome.

"I wonder who's going to be in Sasuke-kun's team." I heard Ino saying beside me, loud enough so Sakura would hear.

"I don't know" Sakura answered with nonchalance but the glance she threw Ino was anything but that.

"Please, don't. I want to hear the teams" I said exasperated.

"Gomen, Kaya – chan. You're right".

I looked at the pinkie suspicious. Why was she so nice? Perhaps I was a little too harsh to judge Sakura only based on her crush on the biggest dickhead in the class. She was after all only twelve. _We all are._ Right, I should not forget that.

"We've arranged the groups such that overall abilities are equivalent. "Continued Iruka. "Ehm, Kaya-chan you should head to the Hokage office."

… What?

"Can't I go after the announcement of the teams?" I was talking very calm while my mind was a whirlpool of thought. Why would I be summoned by the Hokage? First thought: they knew. They somehow found out I wasn't this Uchiha girl and that I was from another world. But they couldn't. _There's ANBU. And Danzo_. But I didn't do anything to give myself away. _Anything at all, beside being a total asocial child with cat-friends only, who talked about Camus and Nietzsche and quoting things that don't even exist in this world._ Yeah, but children do that. …. don't they?

"I'm afraid it would be rude to keep the Hokage waiting, Kaya-chan."

_Do you know what it would be rude? The teams not turning out as they are supposed to, and fucking up the entire future of this world._ I reluctantly nodded and got up. It's not like my presence here would change anything if that did or didn't happen. _But damn, I would know if that happen._ Now I had to wait until I came back. _If I come back._

"What did you do?" Ino smiled.

"Nothing" I frowned at her rather satisfied smile. _This girl._ I was well aware of the eyes of the other students on me as I exited the class. After all, it was usually Naruto who visited the Hokage building , but never in this formal manner. _I'm fucked._

Ҩ

I walked fast. _Faster._ No, if I went faster I would break into running; I didn't want to let it consume me like this. _Fuck, this wasn't supposed to happen._ Why the hell did it happen anyway? It had no logic. _Yes, yes it does. _ And it doesn't. And JSADGIASQDBIASBCCISADBCHUWEFUWH!_ Calm down._

I stopped in the Academy's hall and breathed in three deep gaps of air. _I bet I'm flushed from anger._ I usually got pink to red cheeks when I was angry or concentrated too much. And it was stupid. I never had this problem until now, and it was frustrating! _ Back to the calming down._ Oh, yeah, that.

I started walking normally, if not a little robotically until _the door_. Yeah, just like always the door of the classroom was a bigger problem than it probably should be. Probably. Perhaps I had some sort of phobia, or shit. Ooor perhaps I had social anxiety. Yeah,**perhaps. **Should I just barge right in? Ah, what about the eraser? But this was a little too early for that. Or at least that's what I hoped. However, I did open the door and waited some seconds before entering. _No eraser, that's good_. Three pairs of eyes fixed on me. Poor things. They must be waiting for some time now.

"KAYA – CHAN?! NO WAY! YOU CAN'T BE OUR JOUNIN TEACHER!"

I flinched at the blonde, closing the door and stepping further into the room.

"Don't be so loud, Naruto. I can hear quite well".

"Baka, of course she's not our sensei, she's a genin as us!" Scowled Sakura, and then turned to me smiling friendly. "What is it Kaya-chan?"

_Must be bipolar this one_. She, being so nice and polite really scared me. It gave me the impression that she was plotting my slow and painful death. The third one was eyeing me curiously. I sighed.

"I have some business with your sensei and I figured he didn't arrive yet so I came here."

"Oi, you know who he is?! Tell us!" I mentally smashed myself for saying that. Of course they would be curious. I watched the blonde anxiously waiting for me to unravel the mystery of their sensei's identity. It didn't escape me Sakura's expectant expression or Sasuke's head tilted towards me. _Ha, children._

"Patience is a virtue, Naruto". I smiled at their disappointed and frustrated expressions. _What a joy is in frustrating people. _ Did I mention I liked playing with peoples nerves?

Naruto walked away from me, bubbling something about cruelty and unfairness. I was so content, walking to the window to admire the sun still on the sky. _I hate it so much_. The sun? Yes. Being here with these three? Yes again.

"You'll have to wait quite a long time, Kaya-chan" Sakura explained. "Our sensei is late"

"How much did you waited until now?"

"Two hours".

I sighed. I hate people. Truly. I nodded and turned back to the window. _How funny…_ How funny, that our positions betrayed exactly what we were thinking. Naruto at the blackboard doing… something, excited about the whole team thing, Sakura trying to act as calm and nonchalant as she could, flipping her hair but pacing the classroom in anticipation, Sasuke at the desk still unsatisfied by the idea of having other team mates since he viewed them as deadweight to his road to avenge the clan and me at the window, ready to leave any moment as I didn't want to be here. What a picture we made.

"Why is the sensei of our team the only one late? Iruka-sensei already went home!" Naruto exclaimed. And who could blame him?

"That's not very important" Sakura said, supporting herself on a desk. _She's trying to act cool because of Sasuke, isn't she? _

"Ha. I bet the other teams are home as well by now" I said adding my complaint to Naruto's. Sakura turned to me but didn't say a word. _Interesting._

"_What are you doing, Naruto?_"

_**The wait is over.**_

"This will teach him to never be late again" Naruto said adjusting the eraser he balanced at the door as a prank to the grey shinobi. "It's his fault for being late"

"It's your own fault if you get in trouble" Sakura disapproved glancing at the eraser. _I swear she's the little know-it-all Hermione of the team._ She even had the same expression of deep discontent with pranks and breaking rules that Emma Watson managed in the first movie. I snickered.

"A Jounin will never fall for a plain old trap like that."

"And the duck spoke" I announced. "Plot twist: he actually falls for it and makes you look like a fool and Naruto as a trap genius."

"Duck?" Naruto asked confused as I smiled innocently as a response to Sasuke's glare.

"Yeah, you know the back of his hair …"

"Sasuke-kun's hair doesn't look like a duck!"

"You're right, Sakura, it looks more like a chicken's butt…"

"…"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! SASUKE'S HAIR LOOKS LIKE A CHICKEN'S BUTT!"

"NARUTO!"

"Paces."

Thank the Vala_. I really shouldn't feed their childish urges_. And also I shouldn't dig my own grave even deeper, judging from Sasuke's glares and still quiet attitude. A hand appeared and the grey spikes of hair. _Finally._ …. and the eraser fall landing with a 'puff' on Kakashi's head and then on the floor. Out of consternation, none of us said anything. Until the blonde exploded.

"He fell for it! He fell for it!"

I snorted coming closer and I could _feel, _annoyance and disappointment emanate from Sasuke. Ha. That duck. _I really shouldn't call him that. Literally, every bad fanfic names him that._ But I couldn't resist. And I wanted to get a reaction out of him, beside death glares.

"Gomenasai, sensei! I tried to stop him, but I Naruto-kun didn't listen to, me…"

….. Really? I shook my head half amused, half annoyed, playing my fingers of the desk Sasuke was at.

"Don't worry. He _**is**_ a Jounin." _Finally a reaction_. Well, not really. The black-haired looked at me frowning. I smiled amused at his confusion. _Nope, Sasuke I don't read minds._ Though I wish I had, that would be awesome.

"How should I say this… my first impression of you guys" Kakashi spoke for the first time with the eraser in his hand. "… I hate you."

Ha. Haha. Hahaha. No. Not really. That really crushed everybody's high spirits. _Sasuke has such a thing_? Shut up. He's human, of course he does. Minutes later we were on the roof and Kakashi wasn't particularly happy that I omitted explaining the situation to his three new genin.

"Whaa? Kaya-chan, you lied to us!" Naruto exclaimed indignated.

"No I didn't. I do have business with your sensei. Or the other way round. It's just a long term prolonged business" I was exasperated with the energy burst of this kid. And with the lose wavy strands of hair that got in my face because of the wind. I decided against trying to get them to stay out of my face since that wasn't going to happen to soon. I hated wind.

"But Kakashi-sesei, aren't the teams supposed to be of three genins and a Jounin?" asked Sakura politely not yet confident enough to speak up to Kakashi. I sighed. I had hoped that she at least would understand, her being … the most open minded of the three.

"It isn't fair to the other teams"

I arched my eyebrow to the Uchiha. Fairness? He talks about fairness? Oh, really now? That little… _He's not like that. Yet._ Of course, that didn't mean he wasn't a considerable ass and bastard with a superiority complex that needed to be reminded that he was just a child playing at being an avenger.

"Now, listen, and listen close, I am not…"

"Kaya isn't part of this team" Kakashi cut me off. "She's under my surveillance, ours if you choose so. If she wants to take part of the training is up to her. Although, she'll have to take part to our missions as I have to keep an eye on her."

"…. his student but his mission." I continued my sentence as if Kakashi didn't speak.

"But why do you have to keep an eye on her, sensei?" Sakura said stealing glances at me.

"Because I have chosen to become a shinobi and there were no teams for me to join. We were an uneven number and since I don't want to be a civilian, I as a genin, have to be under the surveillance of a Jounin. The reason why I've been put under Kakashi is pretty much obvious." I explained deciding to put an end to the questions. I pointed at Sasuke's head and then stopped at Sakura. "Is this explicit enough for you?"

"Because Sasuke?" Naruto blinked not understanding. "Why is he the reason…"

"Why don't you introduce yourselves?" Kakashi cut off Naruto._ I think he likes doing that._

"Oi! Sensei, why is Sasuke the reason Kaya-chan…"

"Introduce ourselves? What are we supposed to say?" Sakura inquired without pressing the matter further although she must have been as curious as Naruto. I ignored the sensation that a pair of black eyes were fixing me.

"What you like, what you don't, dreams and hobbies. Things along that line" Kakashi explained.

"Hey, why don't you introduce yourself first, sensei?" _ Ha, that was easy._ Naruto forgot about his curiosity about the link between me and Sasuke in a second when the chance to learn more about his sensei aroused.

"Me? I'm Hatake Kakashi. I have no intention of telling you my likes and my dislikes. As … for my dream… I have few hobbies."

_How informative._

"So all we found out was his name" Sakura stated. I snicked.

"You can find out more about a person without them opening their mouth. Observe him." Not taking my eyes from the Jounin. _So this is Kakashi-sensei._ I must confess meeting him was something I was looking forward to but didn't know if I'd have or not the opportunity to. His hair was weird. Waaay weirder than Sakura's. I mean, Sakura's hair was pink and you could get used to that, but Kakashi hair was _spiked._ And not like Naruto, whose hair was a blonde mess of spiky hair. No, Kakashi's hair was defying the laws of gravity and I couldn't help but stare at it. Not to mention it was grey. And he was young. What was he 26? 27? And that damn mask. _**I am **__going to find what's behind that mask. _I was sooooo disappointed I never got to know what's behind it. _Aside for another mask, of course._

The three looked at me curiously.

"What can you tell about Kakashi-sensei, then? Heh?" Whispered Naruto excited. _What and obnoxious child._

"Well, I can say that …"

"It's your turn. You first" _**Of course**_ _he had to cut me off when I was talking with Naruto. _

"My turn! I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I like cup ramen. But I like even more the ramen at Ichiraku that Iruka-sensei bought for me. I hate the three minutes I have to wait after I put the hot water. My hobby is to eat and compare cup ramens! And my dream is to become greater than the Hokages! I'm going to make all the villages recognize my existence"

"…. I think they already do…."

My statement was ignored. _Really._ I sighed. _ I could have been at home sleeping. But no. I had to agree with the Third's offer. Damn me and damn him. And Danzo. And this world. Who dies and ends up reborn in an anime?!_

"Okay, next."

"My name is Haruno Sakura. I like … well, the person I like is… And my hobby is… well, my dream is to…"

_Well, you can't say she doesn't get what she wished for_. I mean, these two end up together though it's still questionable _**how**_. I wondered how they would react if I just told them that they would eventually marry and have a daughter. I smiled evilly. Nah.

"And what do you hate? "

"Naruto".

"EHHHH?"

_Jesus, take the wheel. I want to sleep so bad._

"I see. You"

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are many things that I hate, and there aren't a lot of things that I like. Also, I have an ambition, which I have no intention to leave it just a dream. The revival of my clan and … to kill a certain man."

_Ba-da-da-dum. _I sighed. Yeah. That happened. I glanced at the Uchiha which was looking at nothing in particular already gone from us. Tch. _If he knew….._ I furrowed my brows.

"And the last."

"You said I'm not from the team. Ha. I'm Uchiha Kaya. I like taking long walks and early mornings. I hate humidity and when someone cut me off in the middle of a sentence. And being ignored, of course. My hobby is reading and my dream is to find out who am I and who my parents were."

"You are related to Sasuke?!"

"Vaguely. The blood relatability is so distant and questionable that it merely matters. We are from the same clan. That the closest you get."

"Who likes early mornings?!"

"I do. Sue me"

"Alright. You all have unique personalities. I like that. We're going to begin a mission starting tomorrow." Kakashi intervened.

"HA. What kind of mission is that sir?" the blonde said. _So easily to excite. _

"First we're going to something that we four, or five, can do."

"What, what, what, is it?"

_On Merlin beard, let him speak._ I was becoming weary of the main character. _Now seriously._ At least I wasn't vocal about all this. Now, that would have been troublesome. Nope, better quiet than sorry.

"Survival training"

As soon as the words left Kakashi unseen lips, both Naruto and Sakura begin complaining. I muted them in my mind. I needed sleep. Like, right now. And food. And Sauron with the Ring. And Danzo's head on a spike. That would be so nice. And to give Sasuke a hair cut after The War. One fabulous Madara Uchiha was enough to the world. _No, now without jape, what am I going to do?_ I glanced at Sasuke. I never intended to get so close. All I ever wanted was to observe and make sure all stays the same. _ And if it doesn't…. what then? Intervene? _Like this? As I am now? I was a weakling. A mere genin, and not even that. No, I needed training. This, Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, this is good. I can watch things unravel and train at the same time. Yes I got close, Seven Hells I'm practically almost in the same team with the protagonist and the foil of him (if you preferred to see Sasuke like that). The thing was to not get _too_ close.

"Out of 27 graduates, only nine are going to become Genins. The other 18 will be sent back to the Academy. In other words, this training is going to be a very hard test with a dropout rate of 66%"

More indignation and complain. I couldn't really say I didn't understand them, but knowing already what I knew, I was really not alarmed, only a little curious.

"What about me? Am I supposed to take the test or can I sit out of it?" I asked hoping to have a day of sleep.

"Theoretical, even if you fail I still have to keep you around so, I don't think it really matters."

"WHAT?! THAT IS SO UNFAIR!"

I nodded_. Figured that much_. I won't be taking the survival test. _But I have to see that everything happens as it should._ Then I'll tell Kakashi to let me watch. _But I can't just stay there and watch. What about training? This is training as well; beside it would be, as Naruto said, unfair not to participate. _It's already unfair that I'm with team 7._ But I'm not._ I had to sleep on it. I had to consider the storyline, the three and myself. After all I was a human being, made of flesh and bones, with a mind of myself. Not an invisible entity watching the events from distance.

"Anyway, I'm going to determine whether you pass or fail, tomorrow at the training grounds. Bring your shinobi equipment and meet at 5 a.m."

_That's not going to happen._

"Oh yeah, don't eat breakfast. You're going to throw up if you do "

I snorted. Did I found that funny because that was the case for me? Yes, yes I did. I looked up in the sky at the clouds mixing up with the blue. Grey on purple and blue. Ha. I hated sun.

* * *

**Oh my. This took a while to write. Geez. Anyway, I meat to post it yesterday but I noticed something I didn't like and changed the whole thing. It's weird to write so many characters after only writing about Kaya and one or two characters more. Also, Kaya's way of thinking it's getting to me. Someone told me that certain things weren't as they supposed to be, as in usually when dealing with a reincarnation type of fanfic. I'm not going to follow any typology. I'm writing about a person who is a great introvert and gets pushed into an anime. If you think you're going to be born into this perfect family inside Konoha and have this insane powers you're wrong. Chances are, you could be a civilian or you could die in Pein's attack, or in the actual war or earlier in the Nine Tail attack. You could be born in a different part of the village or world and never meet any of the characters. You could get killed by missing nins or even thieves or die of a heart attack while you're taking a shit. You are human, those humans. We're talking about a world of ninjas, with chakra, very powerful ninjas, with Akatsuki somewhere out there and with villages competition and rivalry along with clan rivalry. (Don't forget secret organizations and Danzo. **_**Fucking Danzo**_**). I wouldn't feel very happy about going into Narutoverse. I wouldn't be excited going into **_**any**_** of my favourite books/shows/movies because I would get killed in minutes. Convient enough, Kaya is considered to be an Uchiha, inside Konoha. That means that she may be, or may not be an actual Uchiha, she may or may not stay in the village. She wasn't born in Konoha and she feels tied to nothing in this world, except maybe from Mikasa and Sasuke (you'll see later why and **_**how**_**). She isn't great at communicating with others and desconsiders humans very much. She's a nihilist. She desconsideres everything but to the point of being a complainer more than showing a developing psychopathic personality. She's just like a teenager who whines, and whines and whines. Also, training? I seriously don't think we would become all prodigies at 10 in the shinobi world. I think that most of us, if we fall in a different world would be dead in a couple of days. And Kaya is a person, a human from our world so yeah. Sorry for the rant but I felt I had to clarify some things for some people. I'm not sure I'll be able to update next week. School will kill me and I need a lot of sleep (much like Kaya…). Sorry for any mistakes I'm in a hurry. Also, reviews are appreciated (THEY ARE LOVE LITERALY! ok, ok, I'm not desperated. Nope. *facepalm*) alongside constructive criticism. ^_^. Catch you guys later.**


	6. Don't be hasty

**Chapter VI: Don't be hasty**

"What the h-Mikasa? What are you doing **there**? Where's my alarm clock? Uh? OH SHIT!"  
I jumped out of my bed, the fast movement bringing dizziness and pressure in my ears. _Genius. _I crawled to the bathroom walking pass the meowing cat on the small pile of books. _She better not start eating the covers, for her own sake._ She had the bad habit of eating paper. And just as I was expecting, when I got out of the bathroom she was enjoying the not so hard cover of one of the books, now scattered on the floor.

"You are _**so**_ lucky I don't have time to deal with you now. Argh!" I looked down on the soft thing I stepped on. _That's vomit. No, that's cat-fur vomit_. I sighed, grabbing my backpack from the kitchen. At least I had enough sense to pack everything last night. Before I exited the kitchen I looked longingly to the fridge. I _knew_ I was going to regret later not eating now. _Well, now no one can say I cheated or wasn't fair. _I still wasn't extraordinary fond of the idea of being in team 7 … kind of.

I left the house, rushing in the streets. _What a chilly morning. _Compared to the usual warm and soft feeling the mornings in Konoha brought, this one was cold. Well, not cold, but cool enough so the wind was slipping on my skin in comforting waves. I hated rushing. I loved taking my time in the mornings and I hated this feeling of being on the run. Not to mention that it was the precise hour in which the whole village was coming to life. _I love my timing._ I finally passed the inhabited area and entered the training grounds. _ Please, __**please**__ tell me Kakashi is still late._ My pride would be seriously wounded if I arrived even later than the grey haired shinobi.

_Ah, there they are._ At the sound of my paces two heads, a blond and a pinkish one, resting of the ground, turned in my direction in synchronized motion. _T-That's creepy. _

"YOU'RE LATE!"

"Um, good morning" I said coming closer as the two looked at me surprised.

"Ohayo, Kaya-chan!"

"KAYA-CHAN! WE THOUGHT YOU WERE KAKASHI-SENSEI!"

_If he keeps shouting like that… _he can save this word without the tongue and vocal chords, right? _No, he must be able to use the power of talk-no-jutsu with literally everyone in here._ Oh, that's right I forgot. I sighed.

"He hasn't shown up yet, huh? Vala, he really is a clotpole."

Sakura giggled unsure of what I meant. _Yeah, she hasn't watched Lord of the Rings or Merlin._ And she'll never watch either of them ever. _None of them will._ That was sad. Truly sad. I peaked at the Uchiha as he was standing with his arms crossed and turned from us. All I could see was that chicken butt black hair and the clan crests on his back. _Keh_. _He really is arrogant. _I sighed and put my backpack on the ground next to Naruto.

"If I knew he was late I would have fed Mikasa" I mumbled realizing that my books will suffer from my inability to wake up on time to feed the blasted cat.

"Kaya-chan, who is Mikasa?" Sakura glanced at me curious. I sighed dramatically, kicking the dirt on the ground.

"My cat."

"Ah"

_Why, everybody is so talkative in the morning._ Well, it wouldn't be morning anymore in an hour or so. I was debating whether or not to redress my braid. _Will it be a nuisance when moving around? _Of course, it always was. I looked at the black hair bringing it up in my visual field. _So what should I do?_ Should I take part in this test and prove that I actually deserve that genin title or just observe and enjoy the beautiful day? The air already changed and the weather promised to be a sunny and rather warm if not hot . This was absolutely brilliant. I suddenly turned my head at the same time as Sasuke. _Keh. Sensible duck._ I locked eyes with the Uchiha in a mocking gaze, as he narrowed his in annoyance. I was beginning to enjoy my time here.

"Ohayo"

"YOU'RE LATE"

"Keh. So loud" I mumbled to myself hoping that at least Sakura would get the point.

"A black cat crossed my path, so…"Kakashi explained but didn't finish when he figured none of us truly cared about or believed his excuse. _Well, at least that got them on their feet._ The somnolence from earlier now vanished.

"… Hm, never mind. Moving on." Kakashi moved to a clock on a log. "The alarm is set at 12 P.M. Today's topic is to get one of these bells from me." He held up two bells ringing softly. _Good._ That stayed the same. "However, who fail to obtain them, won't eat lunch. I'm going to tie you there, on the wood log and eat lunch in front of you"

"So that's why he said…."

"…'don't eat breakfast' "

"That is cruel and ….wrong" I agreed. _But not a reason to whine like a little child._ I shook my head. _What will I do? Take the test, stay out of it…..? _

"But wait," Sakura started "why are there only two bells?"

"Since there's only two, at least one of you will have to be tied to the log." the grey shinobi smiled to his student content. _He's so enjoying this._"That person will fail since he would have not completed the mission. That person will go back to the Academy. It might be one person or all three. You can use your shuriken. You won't be able to get this unless you have the will to kill me. "

_He really looks like he means it._ I tilted my head_._ When I watched this back home, I was so annoyed at their credulity and not being able to see beyond Kakashi's real test, but now, face to face with the actual Copy ninja I could easily see why. Provided that you were a twelve years only kid who aspired to be a shinobi and faced with a high skilled jounin who tells you that you must try to kill him in order to get one bell and stay a genin, you did tend to freak out.

"But that's too dangerous, sensei!"

_No shit Sakura, I thought that being a ninja meant taking care of bunnies_.

"Yeah, you couldn't even dodge that chalk eraser!" Naruto exclaimed snickering at the thought.

"In society, those who don't have many abilities tend to complain more" Kakashi retorted and I frowned at his statement feeling it bitter in my mind._ He's wrong_. "Just ignore the guy with the lowest score. We're going to start after I say 'Ready. Start.' ".

Immediately after he finished talking, the blonde took a kunai and launched forward toward Kakashi, taking by surprise everyone …who didn't watch the freaking anime. _That would be everyone except me since THIS __**IS**__ THE ANIME. Oh, yeah. _ I doubt anyone managed to see Kakashi getting behind Naruto's back – I certainly didn't – and forced the blond's hand to the back of his own head. _The idiot is immobilized. _

"Don't get so hasty" Kakashi spoke calmly as if nothing happened. "I didn't say 'start' yet. But I see you have the will to kill me now" I snickered, in my mind another voice deeper and older as the roots of the mountains spoke. _'Now, don't be hasty, master Meriadoc.' _With that, however, I caught Kakashi's attention.

"Will you partake in the test Kaya-chan?" he asked needling me with an almost mocking look. I frowned at that, and smirked.

"Yes, Kakashi-_sensei_."

"I see."

He let go of an annoyed Naruto and we prepared to flee at Kakashi's signal. Not out of fear, mind you, but to hide since that was the first instinct of a ninja. To hide and observe before striking.

"Ready, start!"

_Wonderful._ If there was something I've learnt since being reborn in this world, it was hiding. I tried all this time to keep a low profile and not get too close to anyone. Passing unnoticed through Academy has been impossible since Iruka had the habit of getting close – to certain extend – to each of his students, and watch them grow with such warmth that could rival a mother. But I did managed to make myself rather invisible socially speaking. And not only. Many times Nekobaa wouldn't be sure if I was in the house or not. I could move unnoticed and sneak around with almost no sound. That partly because I enjoyed silence very much, to the point of spending time alone doing nothing but enjoying the peace and silence of the day, or sometimes reading, until late at night.

I smiled from my spot. _It's a relief that these two are actually pretty decent at hiding._ I looked at Sasuke then at Sakura trying to remember what they were thinking. _That made perfectly… no sense_. I sat on the branch sighing. No need to stay alert with the blond idiot trying to prove exactly how moronic he was to Kakashi. I studied Naruto from that distance. So weird that this blonde ball of loud shrieks and ADHD will turn into the hero of this village and its Hokage. If I didn't know better I would have given him zero changes of living beyond the age of thirteen but I did know better. Like the whole future-of-the-world better. I was glad that I chose the tree as it provided me the much needed shadow this way too hot day required. I had a profound love for climbing trees. _Even if I earn thousands of scratches, worse than giving Mikasa the annual bath._ Loving to climb trees sadly did not made me good at it.

"Let's have a match fair and square!"

I watched the blond with his arms crossed in front of Kakashi, oblivious to the fact that … well, actually oblivious to any fact at all except of his ardent wish to prove himself to his sensei and team mates.

"Aren't you a little weird compared to the rest?" Kakashi inquired taken aback by the non-conventional ways of the Jesus Naruto.

"What's weird is your hair!"

_I agree._ Naruto started forward just like before but stopped abruptly when Kakashi's hand went into his tool holder. The blond watched him in expectation, alert.

"Ninja tactic know – how number one is taijutsu. I'll teach you that first" the grey haired jounin said pulling out a… Icha Icha Paradise book. I snorted before remembering that I was supposed to be keeping my position unknown, but no one seemed to notice. They were too vexed by Kakashi's choice of weapon.

"What's the matter? Hurry and get me."

"But… But… um… why did you take out a book?" Naruto fixed the book perplexed.

"I got curious as to how the story is going to develop. Don't worry it makes no difference".

_Ha. Needling the impulsive kid._I hadn't been sure if Kakashi was trying to get on our nerves on purpose or was mean simply because that's just who he is. I took notice of his relaxed stance._ But not really._ He was attentive to Naruto's response through his peripheral vision. Of course, Naruto being the impulsive imbecile he was tried to hit the jounin. Several times, chaotic and predicable, missing and not worrying that he was exposing himself. _That immense idiot. In a real fight he would be dead already._

"A ninja should not let the enemy get behind him multiple times, idiot"

Kakashi appeared behind Naruto his hands set in an all too familiar seal. _Oh my valar, it's THAT time! _I stifled my laughter waiting with great eagerness. _ This is going to be so good. _

"Naruto, run! You're going to die!"

_A little too dramatic, Sakura._ I watched the pink haired girl as she was looking terrified at the non-responsive Naruto. Was she actually thinking that Kakashi would kill any of us? _She must have really taken this test seriously._ It was good that she was aware of the potential danger of a fight but…

"Too late. Hidden Village of Konoha's secret taijutsu master art…! One Thousand Years of Death!"

Naruto's yelling was the only sound that interrupted the silence that followed full of our perplexity.

"Two idiots."

"That is so wrong" I whispered as Naruto was thrown at some distance yelling. "If that's not a sign of pedophilia then I don't know what this is"

"What are you doing here?!"

I watched Sasuke as he was staring at me with indignation and annoyance. _He didn't notice me coming here. _I sighed at his distraught expression as if Satan just popped up from the earth to perform Cha Cha in the bushes. _That… is also wrong._

"Oh shush, Uchiha" I said cutting him off. "I couldn't hear from up there and your spot is quite good."

"Find your own spot"

"Shh"

He looked at me incredulously. I waved him off before he said anything else pointing to Kakashi and motioning him to shut up. He glared at me forced by the circumstances to put up with my intrusion of his space. We watched Naruto landing in the river. _Ha. This is the same river. _ What a time to remember Shisui. I noticed Sasuke's hand going lower to grab his shuriken I guessed. But Naruto was faster. Two shuriken sprang from the water but Kakashi caught them in two fingers. I 'pff'-ed. It was painfully obvious that we were nowhere close to Kakashi's level. Our mission was impossible.

"What's wrong? You won't get any lunch if you don't get a bell before noon" Kakashi spoke in a monotone voice. You said you're going to exceed the Hokages but your actions say otherwise."

Naruto's stomach gave a painful sound that could be heard by all of us.

"Damn it! I can still fight even if I'm hungry!"

_Even you don't believe yourself, Naruto._ His stomach rumbling was only the beginning of a symphony, accompanied by our own hungry stomachs. I snorted as Sasuke almost looked embarrassed and noticing my amused smile he glared.

"You too, duck?" I asked amused understanding all too well. _If Kakashi wants, he can find us just by following the sounds our stomachs give away._ What a way of hunting us down that would be.

"Hn"

I shook my head at the stubborn Uchiha. _He'll come around. Kind of. Eventually. In the far future. At end of all things._ Yeah…. After he tries to kill his best friend, take over the world, kill every tailed beast and lose his hand. I looked at Sasuke. I almost felt, well not bad or pity for him, but sadness. The worst was just about to begin. The duck noticed me staring and shot me a confused look. I shook my head just as Naruto's Kage Bunshins exploded from the river. _ This is… amazing. _Apparently the Uchiha agreed as he fixed the seven Naruto in astonishment. We were taught replications at the Academy but this wasn't the case now. These were solid clones attacking Kakashi and even surprising him. Yes, it was stupid for **me **be surprised as it was general knowledge to anyone who watched the anime that Kage Bunshin no jutsu was Naruto's signature jutsu along side Rasengan, but damn! This was epic. As a person who isn't from – at least not originally – this world, this was so _**unusual **_ and _**unnatural **_but amazing.

"A ninja shouldn't let the enemy get behind him, right, sensei?" the blond shadow clone said clinging to Kakashi's back keeping him in place as the others came towards the jounin with a set purpose to get a damn bell. I snickered at his slyness and what was about to happen.

… because Naruto only managed to hit his own clone. Kakashi disappeared and in his place was only one of the clones which received a pretty hard punch right in the face. Havoc erupted between the seven trying to identify the supposed Kakashi transformed one. _All that… must seriously hurt._ Naruto was beaten to a pulp by his own clones. I sighed equally disappointed as Sasuke to my right, but also amused. _This is so much better than watching the anime in front of the TV. _ Although the heat was killing me.

To make things worse, Naruto got into Kakashi's very obvious trap, trying to pick up a fallen bell from the ground. _Why? Just __**why**__ would he think that it could be that easy?_ The blonde dangled from the tree, upside down, fidgeting and yelling.

"Use your techniques after thinking carefully" Kakashi picked the bell from the ground nonchalantly. "That's why it was used to your disadvantage. And… don't fall for the obvious trap, stupid. Ninja must think beyond the normal."

As the two debated just how a ninja should think, Sasuke made his move. _You __**idiot**__._ His shuriken seemed to cut right through the jounin. I knew it didn't.

"You idiot" I vocalized the thought earning an very annoyed glare from the duckling.

"HE GOT HIT! Sasuke overdid it!" Naruto started fidgeting again.

"You can't understand that we can't get a bell all by ourselves, can you?" I spoke through clenched teeth as the Uchiha seemed pretty proud of his apparent achievement.

"Speak for yourself"

"Just watch, duckling."

He frowned at me and looked at Kakashi only to see a chunk of wood. The expression of the self proclaimed avenger was PRICELESS. I shook my head and dashed from that spot. _He did that without caring that he would give __**my **__hiding place away as well._ I knew Sasuke didn't exactly exceed on team work but this was ridiculous.

"You. Are. An. Idiot." I said loud enough hoping that he would hear it while still running and searching a safe hiding place. "Duck."

No response came but somehow I had the same feeling from the other day that Uchiha Sasuke wanted to skin me alive. _This is going to be a __**long**__ day._

* * *

**HI. Yeah, it took me more than usual, but I'm almost done with school. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! I CAN'T. ASDAFYSFHSGUSJSHKQSNKSHSIWSHWSHW. Of course, after school there are the exams but yeah, why should I worry about THAT *facepalm* Anyway, I originally planned to write the whole Kakashi test in this chapter but it would be a little too long. And it would take me a day or so more so yeah. I'd rather have it split in two, showing some 'team work' between the four. And reveal some other things concerning Kaya's bloodline (kind of) in the next chapter. I was REALLY reluctant to put Kaya in the same team with the three in the last chapter. That would seem… odd o_O. So I made this weird… arrangement which makes sense but much later in the story. WARNING: Nothing is what it seems when it comes to Kaya ;) and it is revealed very, VERY slow through the story. Well, I hope I'll be able to update next weekend, I would bet on Friday or Saturday but yeah, school is still a pain in the ass for at least three week more. Review and criticize me! I'm relying on your advice and point of view on the story in order to improve. (It's a character centered story so yeah.) ^_^**


	7. Eat the rude

**Chapter VII: Eat the rude**

_That idiotic piece of Uchiha._ I rushed through the tree branches until I decided that either running high above the ground or just simply walking made no difference. Kakashi was a jounin. End of discussion. I was walking serenely in pure daylight. _I hate sun. _Yes, I _**really **_hated that shiny thing that was frying the back of my neck. _At least it's not in my face. Why the hell am I worrying about the fucking sun?_ Yeah, it's not like I'm in the middle of a surviving test. I wondered what the others were doing. Naruto was probably still dangling in the tree, Sasuke must have encountered Kakashi. Wait, no. I should have heard Sakura's scream until now if that was the case, should't I? Didn't Kakashi got to her and then to Sasuke? I might be wrong, however. _He'll find me._ I was tempted to try my luck and talk Naruto into working as a team, but I doubted that I would succeed. That idiot was rather dense.

_And even if he wasn't, should I? _This was their test. Which they failed and only AFTER passed, when they understood that they have to cooperate. But since I got involved shouldn't it be different? This was now _our_ test. _But what if I make Kakashi suspicious?_ Out of the three only I would 'get' his test. The only one to succeed. Only that I didn't exactly figured it out but seen it on the freaking TV! Yet it's not unusual that one student is sharper than the others. It wouldn't be suspicious at all. _But I would know that I don't deserve any praise._

I cursed myself and started walking in the direction I just came from. _I must get there. And fast._ This time I shot through the branches like a rabbit chased by dogs. Earning some more scratches, of course. I really, really, really hoped my plan would work and that the idiot was still there. Suddenly I heard something. I stopped dead in my tracks. _Was that a scream?_ It was possible, but so was that I was imagining things. _It's been too faint_. I waited patiently for any other strange sound but when none came I continued with my mad run. _I started hearing things. That's bad._

When I arrived back to the clearing near the river, Naruto was still fidgeting in the rope. I stepped out of the cool shadows into the burning hell of shining volatile golden lava. I really hated sun._ How many times I've said this?_ Too many. I got closer while the idiot didn't even notice me, too engrossed into cursing and trying to cut the rope. I snickered.

"Still bothering with that rope?"I asked earning the blonde's attention.

"KAYA-CHAN!" He exclaimed and I grimaced at the loud shriek. "No this is the second trap! I thought you all flee before Kakashi-sensei got you!"

"Second trap. You fell for the same trick. Twice. In a row." I looked at him amused as he responded with yet another loud 'Hey!'. I cut the rope wasting a kunai. Ah well.

"Oi, thank you Kaya-chan" Naruto started grinning. "You know, behind the wood logs there's a rock on which are our lunches. I saw them while I was hanging on the tree."

"Naruto, no." I cut it.

"But Kaya-chan! 'Ninjas need to think beyond the normal'." He cited Kakashi proudly. _Is this the lie he justifies his cheating action? _I couldn't bring myself to be harsh to him. Not while he grinned like a sly fox with yet innocent cerulean eyes. _So much about hating children._

"Um, Naruto, Kakashi didn't mean for us to cheat based on what he said." I pointed out. "But I know a way to get a bell"

"Uh? What way?! Tell me!"

So excitable. I studied him and before opening my mind to speak, I already knew I failed.

"Teamwork. That's how we get the bell. You, I, Sasuke and Sakura against Kakashi. We are bound to get at least one bell."

_There. I did it._ Guilt was weighting on my shoulders like an invisible huge rock. _This is exactly what everyone would do if they got into the anime. _And I hated the idea that I was just like everybody else. Everybody from my world, of course.

"What do you mean?! I'm not going to help that bastard! And Kaya-chan there are only two bells, and you pass anyway."

I was in the middle of a sigh when he said the last part. _Did he just…?_ I glared at him. He watched me with a confused and innocent expression of a person who has no idea they said something wrong. I might have misheard that. _No I haven't._ I turned on my heels and walked towards the bushes.

"Keh. I see. Do what you want. It's not my concern."

I didn't wait for his eventual reply to what I said and began my search for Sasuke. I knew by now that Sakura was trapped in Kakashi's genjutsu or worse, out of it_. I wasted time_. Yeah, but at least I tried. _So, back to planning_. Sakura wasn't an option. She was concerned only about Sasuke so if I found the Duck I might as well find the pinkie. And perhaps the other way around too. That, if Sasuke and Kakashi had their mini fight. Which I hoped they haven't because that meant Kakashi was after me. _I should pay extra attention to my surroundings. _And to jounins hunting down their fresh young students. _Wrong… so wrong._

It wasn't until minutes later that I stopped and turned trying to make no sound. _I swear I heard something._ It might have been like earlier, just an impression. But since now I was a _genin_, shouldn't I be relying on my intuition? _And my intuition is telling me that there is a pedophilic grey haired jounin somewhere to my right, spying. _Yeah, intuintion was good, just not mine.

"On your left Kaya-chan"

_Close enough_. I looked at the Jounin, taking three steps backwards. _Shit. And he's still reading, god damn it. _I looked at him waiting for genjutsu, ninjutsu, something, but nothing came. He just read his damn book. _Hip hip hurrah for not being worth his time. _I stared at him for some seconds then I turned my back to him and started walking.

"Kaya-chan, where are you going?" I didn't turn when I heard his monotone voice not even sure if he looked up from his book.

"To find Sakura. Sasuke would be preferable but we'll get to him. Eventually. Any ideas where she is?"

"Under genjutsu. She should get out of it soon though."

"Sasuke?"

"In the ground"

…_. that's simply morbid._

"But what about you, Kaya-chan? Don't you want a bell? You said you want to take the test. Or are you resting assured that I can't send you back to the Academy?"

"You want me," I side – turned to him amused. "to try and take you on for _a bell_?"

"…"

"Have you lost your bloody mind?" I said after staring at him for some time, and he looked up from his book to me. "I can't take you on by myself. I'm a genin. Not even that. You are a _jounin._ That would be suicide. I would accomplish nothing but getting some more scratches and fail miserably. No. Nope, thank you."

"What will you do then? You said you can't take me on all by yourself. Does that mean you plan an alliance with the other three? You believed you can? Besides, there are only two bells." He said patiently.

"Yes" I smiled "That's exactly what I want to do. Get the others together and get those bells. I'll try that and I'll fail. If you think Sasuke will ever accept sharing glory with someone else, you don't know him."

I turned and walked away.

Ҩ

I was able to tell that we were approaching noon by the intensity with which the burning sun rays were on the back of my neck. _I would say this is a lame skill, but meh._ I cursed myself for leaving Kakashi. I could have followed his track back to either Sasuke or Sakura. But of course, being the pacifist coward I was, I just stormed off like that. _Very intelligent indeed._

I was able to remember the paths around the training grounds as well. That's how much I've been walking in circles. At least I was burning down the adrenaline of this test. And wasting my energy, of course. People like me should never try to become ninja, honestly. _ But you can't make sure everything goes as the original plot if you're a civilian._ Or at least the chances were very slim._ No, I have to become a ninja. And a decent one too._ That if I wanted to survive, of course.

To be sincere walking in circles around the place was rather enjoyable. I was able to admire the rich vegetation and birds._ Because that's why I got up early in the morning. To admire nature._ Well, not _that_ early, after all I was late._ I wasn't later than Kakashi._ No indeed because that's _impossible._ My monologue was rudely interrupted.

"Kaya"

_That's…_ I forced myself to not look in the direction of the voice looking up as if I was expecting the birds to talk. _Serves him right. _I walked without any hesitation and stopped when the voice urged.

"_**Kaya**_".

"God?" I asked still looking up, before glancing down under my mid-air stopped foot. "Ah, Sasuke. What are you doing? You do know the difference between a human being and plants don't you? I don't think that's an effective way of gaining power. Ducks don't draw strength from the soil."

"Shut up."

"No, really" I said getting at the same level with the ground inserted Uchiha. _This looks just wrong._ I've seen people burying themselves in _sand_ at the _beach_. There's been a guy who actually managed to get himself in, just as Sasuke was now. "I could have stepped on you just now. It's very dangerous, Sasuke."

_If looks could kill._ Sasuke's expression had 'you don't say?' plastered all over it. I couldn't help but break into laughter which did not helped much.

"Stop laughing."

"Sorry" I said with no regret into it. "I just thought you might get a bell from Kakashi. And now to see you like this" his patience was wearing _very_ thin, I could tell. "Ok, how do we get you out of there?"

A rustle in the leaves made both of us look towards the bushes in anticipation. That's when Sakura came out in full determined run. And stopped._ Oh, Vala. _ Her face was pure horror. I don't think I've ever seen someone so horrified before_. Is this because of the genjutsu or she simply **is** like this?_ It almost made me fear to ever be caught in a genjutsu. _I have to learn how to recognize one and to release it. _Well, if I put it like that, I had _a lot of things_ to learn. _ The list is growing longer and longer every day._

"Sakura" Sasuke called somehow thinking that would things make better. Of course, she just gave out a loud shriek worthy of a banshee and collapsed on the ground. _What the f…? Just like in the anime._

"You had to make things better, didn't you?" I sighed just as dumbfounded as the Uchiha.

"What's wrong with her?"

"Genjutsu, I suspect."

It took us ten solid minutes of digging and pulling to get the duck out of the ground. _It still sounds so wrong._ I went beside Sakura checking up on her. _Yeah, she's just fainted._ I could hear Sasuke trying to get the dirt out of his clothes as I was waiting for Sakura to get round. I frowned at the pale face of the pinkie._ Why do I always seem to miss the important events?_ Shisui's death, Naruto's fight with the guy who tried to steal that scroll, the naming of the members of the teams, Sakura falling under Kakashi's genjutsu, Sasuke's fight with Kakashi. _ This has to stop._ But does it really matter if I'm present or not, if things don't get out of control and go just as they should? The worse of them was Shisui's death. I mean, I'm supposedly part of the Clan but never took notice of any of the members, even less so of the death of them. _Well, with the exception of the Massacre._

Sasuke looked down to the pink haired girl, until he decided she was not in a critical enough state to be worth his attention and switched to me. I watched him amused, fixed on the rather thick layer of dirt from his hair.

"What?" He asked vexed by my insistent stare. I snickered and ruffled his hair a little harder then I should have. "Stop it". That did not made me less amused by this not so dark Sasuke. He had yet a long way until _that._

"She'll be fine. She just experienced a rather solid dose of Kakashi's genjutsu. I think she wasn't overjoyed when she saw only your head." I explained.

"Hn. Did Kakashi get to you?" He asked not really interested in Sakura's state. _Ass_.

"Yeah. And no. No bell on me." I stated the obvious and he shot me a suspicious look his eyes wandering on my rather unscratched person. Well, except of the superficial ones which I gained from my unflattering skills at dealing with Mother Nature. "This isn't surprising. We are no match for him. Not one bit"

"Then what's the point of this test?" Sasuke growled at my insinuation that we were all weaklings… which we actually were.

"I can't know for sure" I began carefully, storming my brains for a way to persuade him, or at least make him understand. He was not Naruto. Sasuke was sharp but too stubborn and proud for his own good. _If Sakura was awake this would be easier._ If there was one think Sasuke listen to, it was reason. _And I'm not the best person to provide it._ At all.

"Think like this, Kakashi is a jounin. We have just graduated from the Academy – we're barely genin. We can't possibly get a bell each on our own". I finished with cursing myself mentally. I was repeating myself, as I've told Kakashi something similar.

" 'Each on our own'. Hn. You think he means us to come at him as a team" the duck stated and frowned. "There are only two bells. And beside" he said with a cold determination in his black eyes "you will only slow me down."

_I figured as much._ I sighed and then giggled earning a rather confused look.

"Well, there's always Naruto for lunch. But you know, it's better to eat the rude. I always like to have an old friend for lunch" I smiled at him with all my heart. _I creeped the seven hells out of him._ "Oh come on. You can't honestly expect me to go through the freaking massacre of the whole clan without being mentally deranged."

His eyes widen for a fraction of second but a moan made both of us look down. Crude green eyes slowly opened with visible difficulty to focus. I looked up to the sun_. I swear the Devil made it just to burn us down one day after other. _

"Sasuke-kun?"_ Of course her first word after regaining conscious would be the dickhead's name._"You were ok!"

She launched herself in a hug but Sasuke caught her arms and was trying to get her off, rather unsuccessfully. _He won't be so reluctant to feel her touch in the far future_. I mean, um, Sarada much? _And I thought that I hated hugs._ I stifled a laugh but got the pinkie's attention.

"Kaya-chan!" she exclaimed and blushed a faint shade of her own hair. _She's still a little too pale, perhaps still dizzy?_

"Hello, Sakura. Nice to see you've come round, fine and all" I sent a sly look at her and Sasuke, and she blushed a deeper shade of red while the duck got up.

"It's almost noon. I'm going." Sasuke said already passing me.

"Sasuke-kun are you still after the bell?" Sakura asked urgently trying to keep him around a little longer.

"I was able to touch it a while ago. I can get it next time." he shot me a determined look and I rolled my eyes. _ Ignorant brat._

"Is that so? You're amazing, Sasuke-kun!"

I might have thought it pathetic, the whole situation, seven hells, I DID facepalm-ed back home at these moments. But Sasuke needed this attention and approval even if it came from the most unimportant – for him – person, such as Sakura. And if not approval than this unflinching faith. _Ha._

"Um… since we have little time left, why don't we try harder next time and give up for now."

…. but not that.

One glare was enough to quiet Sakura down. I sighed. _ Note to self: spending time with both Sakura and Sasuke might result in premature dementia._ I opened my mouth to explain to Sakura how an Uchiha Sasuke works, when the object of research decided to speak.

"Only I can kill that man"

_No, not really. Not even __**you **__can kill him._ I watched Sasuke's back with a huge dilemma. Could I let the him kill Itachi? _I should. It's important to the plot._ But what about justice? Then I shook my head. I couldn't just change the plot because of my own selfish reasons. _And this isn't the time to think about this._

"I'm an avenger. I must become stronger than him. I can't stumble here."

I could hear in the back of my mind the voice of Tony Stark. _Um, sorry, who invited you_? Me and the Tony Stark I from my head agreed that Sasuke would make a terrible team with Thor. Suddenly the alarm ringed.

"Time's up" I said happily getting up.

"Damn, I've wasted my time talking".

I sighed while passing the mega pissed duck.

Ҩ

I tried as hard as I could not to laugh. The situation was rather dry, but seeing the dismayed blonde tied to the wood log was funnier than it probably should be. My stomach growled with fury making me cringe. Of course, that only determined an entire choir of other three hungry stomachs. _Damn Kakashi._

"Your stomachs are growing, eh?"asked the grey haired jounin with his arms crossed.

"No, they are synchronizing in ode to the Hokages" I said rather annoyed by my stomach. It didn't help that Kakashi only seemed even more amused by my comment.

"By the way, about the results of the training … none of you go back to the Academy"

I pff-ed, while the others received the news quite enthusiastic. _Wait for it… . _

"Does that mean us three…?" Naruto asked, encouraged by Kakashi's smile.

"Yes, it means that you _four …_ should quit being ninjas."

"That's harsh." I commented with the beginning of a headache. Kakashi's conclusion put an end to their ecstatic happiness.

The next minutes were filled with complaints. _Oh, how I wish this day would be over already._ My head was splitting with pain. I closed my eyes and I pretended I was listening. I opened my eyes when I heard the shifting of material and fast paces. _Of course_, it was Sasuke who failed to attack Kakashi. _So Naruto – ish. That position though. _ Kakashi was _**literally **_sitting on the Uchiha, with his foot on his inky haired head.

"See? You're all just kids." Kakashi said and it almost resonated with what I told the dickhead earlier.

"Don't step on Sasuke-kun!"

OOO, Sakura rage!

"Nope, you can sit on the duckling. Just don't damage him too much. They're rare." I yawned and received a cold glare from the duck in question and a rather uncertain one from Sakura.

"Do you guys think that being a ninja is easy?" Kakashi asked looking at us with a hardened expression. "Why do you think we're training by breaking up in groups?

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked rather confused.

"In other words you don't understand the answer to this test. The answer to determine if you can pass or fail."

"We've been asking what that answer is…"

"Geez, are your brains empty? You don't understand why you've been put in groups?"

"TEAMWORK!"

Four pairs of eyes stared at me rather confused. _Where did that come from?_ Why? Why am I so fiercely stupid?

"It's teamwork, for the love of the Vala" I said irritated by the sudden attention and the headache.

"What? Like cooperating with each other?"

_I'm going to murder her_. Last time I checked Sakura was the smartest in the team, what happened with that intellect? Had it been eaten all up by the idiocy of the blonde? _Maybe Naruto is an intellect sucking vampire. Not acquiring intelligence obviously, but rather eating it away. _

"That's right. But it's too late even if you notice now. If all four of you would have come at me at once, maybe you could have gotten a bell. But that's too bad. "

My eyes met onyx and I smirked. _Ha. _ Then I remembered that I _was supposed_ to know this because I've seen the anime and that it wasn't an accomplishment. _Thank you brain for sucking the happiness out of me. _

"But why do we need teamwork if there are only two bells? If four persons work hard for the bells then two of them will bite the bullet. " Sakura inquired with consternation.

"One" I corrected her smirking at Naruto "I pass no matter what."

"HEY!"

"Just because I can't send you back at the Academy, doesn't mean you passed" Kakashi said looking at me for the first time, while we both ignored Naruto's indigation."And yes Sakura, the test is supposed to put you against each other. In this situation, we select those who prioritize teamwork before themselves. That was the purpose, but all of you were pathetic."

_Well, no, not really._

"Sakura! You cared more about Sasuke than Naruto, even though Naruto was right in front of you and you didn't know where Sasuke was. Naruto! All you did was work on yourself. You" Kakashi stepped harder on Sasuke ignoring my silent protests" assumed that the others were only going to burden you and did everything yourself. Kaya was the only one to propose teamwork but both of you refused, however" he turned to me accusingly"you didn't even bothered to try and get a bell. You didn't take the training seriously and as a result neither has the others took you seriously."

I took a good look at the grey jounin in front of me. _That hurt. _I would have rather not been included on his list. That made me feels like I was his student as well. And I wasn't. I was his mission. I smiled at him and I only spoke one sentence.

"You are right."

"Missions are done in groups" Kakashi ignored my condescending gaze. "It's true that ninja need well – developed individual abilities, but it's teamwork that is much more important."

I shutted down the rest. I was tired, in pain and bored. After all, I wasn't even supposed to be here. _No, I was supposed to be in a pit in the ground feeding the bellies of the worms._ I watched Kakashi stepping off Sasuke and walk to the statue or rock which ever you want to call it. One voice, way too loud, couldn't stay out of my mind.

"I like that! I like that! I've decided that I'm going to have my name carved into that!" Naruto exclaimed and I sworn he could draw out of the ground the log if he shook like that. ADHD, I tell you.

"Continue like that and you might just end up there" I growled.

"What? You support me in this Kaya-chan?"

"Yes, I guarantee you I'll help"

"I'm going to be a hero! I'm not going to die a useless death!"

"They're not normal heroes. There are those who were K.I.A" Kakashi's voice became sober.

"K.I.A?"

"Those who were killed in action" Sakura explained to the blonde idiot. He finally understood and his enthusiastic expression changed_. Ha_. And then he figured out. He glanced at me and I returned it with a smile. Oh, the poor little scared fox.

"… The names of my friends are carved in here as well."

We all stood silent at what Kakashi said. I _wonder if he's thinking about Obito._ Of course he was. And about Yondaime and **Rin**. How could he not? I suddenly thought about people back home. About my mother, my best friend, my cat. And then I forced myself _not to._ This wasn't exactly the best moment to collapse into despair and depression. _I'll have enough time for that at night._

"I'll give you one more chance. However, the fight for the bell will be much harsher after lunch. Eat lunch only if you are up to challenge. But don't let Naruto eat. As punishment for trying to steal the food before lunch. The person who feeds him will immediately fail."

Next thing, we were sitting near the log enjoying our lunches. Well, all except Naruto and I. Naruto because he was punished, I because I didn't finish inspecting the food. My headache wasn't gone but it also wasn't as painful as before. No, now I only felt the urge to vomit, but I had nothing in my stomach. Sublime. And I didn't want to give it something, only to have it come out five minutes later. Not to mention the others.

_Keh. How peaceful. _The black duckling and the pinkie were eating slowly which only made Naruto's stomach growl louder. _How can they eat with someone staring hungrily at them_?

"I'm fine even if I don't eat! I'm ok! Okay…" the blonde assured us without believing he, himself the words.

_That stomach is really upset and hungry_. I really pitied him, as a past gourmand myself. Of course, my throwing up sessions in the middle of the night put an end to that. Sasuke held up his lunch in front of Naruto. _Finally._

"Here"

"B-but, Sasuke-kun, sensei just said…" Sakura started and I rolled my eyes.

"Don't worry I don't sense him nearby."_ Bullshit._ "We are going to get the bells together." He shifted his gaze to me and then back. "It's going to be only trouble if he's hungry."

I smiled proudly as he said that although I knew it was nothing different from the anime, but it was one of the good Sasuke moments. This was worth a celebration with fireworks and all of that. Sakura offered her lunch to Naruto, after considering it carefully. This, of course, touched the blonde far more that Sasuke's benevolence.

"You don't need to thank me, just eat, hurry" she smiled, not understanding yet the problem that came with offering him food.

"But um…"

"I'm on a diet… I mean, I eat less than Sasuke-kun"

"No one has to eat less than anyone" I said getting up.

"Kaya…-chan?"

I gathered the boxes not bothering with asking them and made out of three, four lunches equally divided._ I'm a genius._ The psychological impact was the key. I couldn't possibly eat anything right now. Unless I wanted to empty my stomach right there, in front of their eyes.

"Be smart"

"Kaya-chan that's amazing!" Naruto said smiling.

"Yeah, I have my moments. Rare." I sat feeling a bitter taste I my mouth._ I'm positive that's bile._ The faster Kakashi got here, the better.

"By the way Sakura… Naruto is tied; he can't possibly eat on his own."

"What?!" _Poor pinkie._

"Hurry, we don't know when we comes back" the duck said keeping a watch on the surrounding._ Hopefully, faster than you hope. _

"I'm going to do this just once. Understood?"

Seeing Sakura with noodles trying to feed a hungry tied up Naruto was more entertaining than I could have possibly imagine. And then Kakashi made his apparition. All cloudy and dark, trying to frighten us.

"You four broke the rules. Are you prepared for the punishment?"

"But…but…but!" Naruto started.

"We're a three members team, right?" Sasuke asked trying to make the others snap out of it. "… with an additional one"

I shook my head, smiling.

"You are a failure at giving motivational speeches"_ This is certainly __**NOT **__TRUE._

"Yeah! We four are one!" Sakura added finding her courage. _One for all and all for one, pretty much? _But I had to give her points for saying it from the heart. _Nope._

"Yeah! YEAH! That's right!"

"You'll have a bad time trying to get over four best genin of the year. And united at that." I smirked.

"You four are one, huh?" Kakashi said approaching with determination only to break into a smile. "You passed"

I let out a breath I didn't know I kept until then_. Just according to the plan_.

"…why?" Sakura said not convinced yet.

"Ninjas must think beyond the normal. In the world of ninjas, those who break the rules are scum. But those who don't take care of their friends are even worse scum. The training ends here. Team 7 will be doing missions starting tomorrow! Let's go home."

"That's the sweetest thing you said all day" I sighed walking away longing for my bed back at my apartment.

" 'Home' " I mused happily. "Wait, shouldn't we untie the idiot?"

Somewhere in the distance a furious blonde fox was screaming for freedom.

* * *

**HI there ^_^ I'm in a hurry, so I'll keep this short. I want to tank you Blackenflames. You have no idea how much your reviews encourage me! And thank you for the time you take to read what I write. I am truly honored and hands down for anyone who takes time and reviews fafics ( not mine but in general). You rock people! Also. I hope I'll be able to update next Friday/Saturday, but it will be kind of unlikely. Oh, sorry for the mistakes from this chapter but it's three in the morning and I have two essays on two distingue long and boring novels to type so yeah…. This is going to be a loooong weekend. School. End of school, of high school more exactly. Lots of things to doooooo. See you guys later! **


	8. Memento Mori

**Chapter VIII: Memento Mori**

I looked around the room. The light was getting in rather nicely. And there were plants at the window crawling out and in, against the liqueur wall. _So green_. Well, of course, I was in Konoha, wasn't I? I looked away from the window and then to the neatly organized desk. _This thing is cleaner and more organized than my whole flat._ Well, I had a cat though, and that was enough reason why I couldn't have a clean flat. That and my incurable laziness. _At least it doesn't smell like cat piss every day now. _I discovered a year ago the magic of nice smelling cat sand. So has Mikasa.

"Kaya are you avoiding my statement?"  
_Yes_.

"Hm-m?" I asked focusing my eyes on the woman in the white medical robe. Was that how it was called? _She has been talking. _Oh. Oups. She has? She was looking at me with a look that could cut glass, her brown eyes narrowed to slights. But then her face broke into a sigh.

"You didn't hear anything I just said, did you?" she shook her head in disapproval letting go of my analysis worksheet on the desk and leaning back into her chair with a tired expression.

"Nope" I lied happily. I caught a black strand of my hair between my fingers and meticulously studied it. _When did it become so wavy? It's almost curly for the names of the Valar._ I've decided that humidity and my hair was not a good combination.

"Your medical results aren't bad but they are far from good" she said tiredly grabbing her glasses. "There's a slight anemia and that might be the source of the headaches, or at least it contributes to it. Your eye test, however … is **not** good."

She stopped trying to observe my reaction, I presumed, as I could see her from the corner of my eyes. _I knew there was something fishy._ I mean, I heard her the first time but I couldn't understand a thing she said, and now I was patiently making her repeat it in words that I could understand. Yay for me.

"Your eyes are losing melanin" she said urgently as if trying to get my attention. "Are you familiar with the term 'Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis' ?"

"Those are _terms."_ I pointed out gracing her with my attention. "And no. I've never heard of it in my entire life."

"Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis" she started with a proud and formal voice as if she was giving a lecture " is is a chronic unilateral uveitis appearing with the triad of heterochromia, predisposition to cataract and glaucoma, and keratitic precipitates on the posterior corneal surface. Patients are often asymptomatic and the disease is often discovered through investigation of the cause of the heterochromia or cataract. Neovascularisation (growth of new abnormal vessels), is possible and any eye surgery such as cataract surgery can cause bleeding form the fragile vessels in ... I lost you at 'Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis is' haven't I?"

_Oh my Vala, I've opened Wikipedia._

"Yep" I nodded happily. "What does that mean? Do I have heterochromia?"

"Well, no, not exact-"

"Am I going blind?"

"No! Of cour-"

"Then everything is fine. If I'm not going blind. Heterochromia would have been awesome though."

"Will you just listen?!"

I looked at the flushed medical-nin. _That was uncalled for. _I knew she was young and probably was getting used to have an entire department in her charge, hell she let me cut her off twice, but holy Gandalf did her voice get plastered on the walls of her office. She must have thought the same thing because she recomposed herself and looked at me with a silent 'sorry'.

"It means that your eyes might be sick or your body is and it determines the melanin loss. But from here" she pointed at the medical report "it doesn't say anything about any cause that could set it off. So it should be because of your eyes. You don't have Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis, but that is the only thing close to your condition. Do you have any other symptom aside headaches and sudden blurriness?"

"No. But they both are very effective in making me want to jump off the Hokage mountain."I answered dryly. _Why did I even come to this greenie? I should have made an appointment to someone else._ Maybe I will. It couldn't be bad if I listened to another opinion on my… condition. I nodded. "What does it means that I'm losing melanin?"

"Loss of color in the iris. Sensitivity to light. And that might cause _headaches_. However, it _could_ be premature cataract or worse glaucoma, but I should have been able to see it if that was the case." She sighed exhausted. "Or perhaps it's something from what you eat or drink. Alimentation influences our body in every way. Anyway, I'm going to prepare some eye drops. Who knows? Maybe it is just a phase. Oh, and I'll prescribe you something for your headaches. Perhaps even write you a natural diet. Yeah. I want to try that."

_I don't like it. _Her eyes were shining and her huge smile did nothing but creep me out rather than assure me that everything was going to be fine. She was enthusiastic about the whole 'natural remedy'.

"Doc, are you experimenting on me your naturist ideas?" I asked as she disappeared behind a door to her lab without closing it.

"No! It just occurred to me. You're affliction isn't an illness, it's more of a temporary condition so if we speed it up it might be better for you during the missions and training. It might take months or even years before the blurriness settles down and it might affect your vision. So I'm going to detoxify your body and give you a temporary treatment in order to locate the cause of it."

"O…k" I said unsure of what the hell she meant with all that. _It doesn't make any sense._ "So when should I come after the eye drops? Tomorrow?"

"**No**. Today. Ten minutes."

_She is creepy._ Especially when I didn't exactly speak with her but with her lab door. _Yeah. Good talk, door_. I sighed. _I wonder what the others are doing._ I didn't attend this morning's mission as I wasn't really fond of pulling some plants out of the ground. Sure, it might have been very important to the client who was growing herbs, but for us that was both boring and a waste of our time. I didn't realised how boring it _actually was _to do D-rank missions. But after several days spent helping the population of the village with various day-to-day activities, I was supportive of Naruto's whining outbursts. _I have to meet them after I get out of here. Kakashi expects that. _He knew where I was and I was pretty sure the others knew as well by now. And that at least the blonde will be nagging me until I told him why was seeing a doctor. _Urgh. That's why I hate working with others._

"Here you go"

I looked to the brown haired woman holding a phial of some transparent liquid for me to take, across her desk. I took the phial watching it skeptically. _This is the miraculous thing that will make my blurriness go away?_ Well, I sounded like a child.

"Do I want to know what you put in here?" I asked.

"No. I want you to get a brain scan as well" she said categorically as if she expected me to oppose the idea. "Not today. You'll have to make an appointment for that as well. I doubt I'll find anything wrong but I want to be sure. Better like this than sorry. It could be a case of encephalitis mixed with something else" she grimaced. "It's frustrating until we find the cause of it. Anyway, I'll write you a healthy diet to stimulate your metabolism. A healthy life style is the key to longevity."

"Longevity isn't really one of my main concerns. I'm a ninja." I said dryly. Too few shinobi actually live long enough to have a family.

"Ah, _ninja"_ she shook her head writing a rather long list. "There, you're free to go"

"Am I supposed to understand what you wrote here? It lacks any legibility"

"Legibility isn't my concern. I'm a doctor"

Ҩ

I was still smiling when I got to the Hokage building. _That woman._ I liked her. After all, how many medical-nins actually treated you like a patient and not a simpleton child in this village? _I want Tsunade here. Now._ I bet she would know exactly what was wrong with me. I violently run into something, while being trapped in my own head. I forced my legs to not give in and fall.

"What the- KAYA-CHAN!"

Fucking wonderful.  
"Hey Naruto." I said sending the spiky blonde an icy look. Sakura smiled delighted while the ever scowling Uchiha sighed. Yep, I'm stuck with these guys.

"Kaya-chan" Sakura started " you're done with, um, you're appointment? Everything is fine?"

"Yeah"I said sending a glare to the grey jouning a who kept quiet.

"Why did you needed to see a doctor, Kaya-chan? You seem well" Naruto inquired giving me a check up, head to toes look. _This idiot blonde midget._ Well, in some years he wouldn't be a midget anymore.

"Keh. Just a problem with headaches. Probably because of lack of sleep" I waved my hand nonchalantly. "What's the mission?"

"To find and catch Tora the cat" the duck almost growled in visible annoyance.

"Cat? I love cats!"

"Come on" Kakashi said walking. "We had enough chatting. We have to do the mission today"

Three hours later Tora was tearing apart Naruto's face. I laugh at the sight of the distressed blonde and the vicious cat fidgeting with her claws out. _It fits her name._ If she was but a little bigger, I would have believed her to be a tiger cub.

"Does it have a ribbon on its right ear?" Kakashi asked through the station. "Is it our target, Tora?"

"It's the target for sure."

I laughed approvingly at the duck as Naruto's desperate screeching intensified. I took the cat stroking her head. Sakura watched the ball of fur as I tried to keep her claws away with my jacket. _If she as much as scratch it, I'm drowning it in the river and burn the body._ I loved my jacket, more than Jace Herondale loved his.

"Why isn't it trying to kill you?!" Naruto protested as we were walking.

"She is" I said adjusting the cat in my arms "but she can't reach me. I grew up with cats, you know."

"She's so adorable" Sakura said, without touching the little tiger though.

"Really? Do you want to hold it then?" I said through gritted teeth and her answer was only a nervous smile. I looked back with the corner of my eyes, just to make sure the Uchiha was here as well. _That duck is awfully quiet._ But... it was Uchiha Sasuke that I was talking about.

At the Hokage building we understood perfectly well why the cat run away in the first time. _That's not how you show affection to a cat_. The lady who owned the cat – and who I learned, was the wife of the Fire Daimyō – was practically terrorizing the cat by snuggling it tightly, while Tora was meowing desperately much like Naruto earlier.

"I understand that cat perfectly" I whispered to Sakura and she nodded watching the fat lady almost squash Tora. "So that's the wife of the Daimyō. Burning her cat wasn't an option then."

Both Sakura and Sasuke shot me similar looks. _I should really keep my psychopathic thoughts to myself._ I smiled at the two and turned to the Hokage who was reading our next mission, sitting at a table full of scrolls and papers, even notebooks with missions. Iruka was there as well as other chūnin, sorting the missions I guessed.

"Now then, Kakashi's seventh team's mission is..." the Third read "babysitting Yojyu-sama boy. Grocery shopping at the neighboring town. Helping dig up potatoes at..."

"No! No thanks to all of those!" Naruto exclaimed making elevate gestures through the air to make a point. _Really? He's going to explode._ But he had a point and if this was _that_ moment in the story-line I was thinking it was then he would get exactly what he wants. Which I wasn't overly excited about. "I want to do more exciting missions!" the blonde continued.

I looked at the others and although they kept silence, I could see they agreed with the blonde. _Geez, guys. _ But then again, when did I become this lazy Shikamaru? _Speaking of which..._ I hadn't really interacted with the other genin. I busied myself spending time with team seven and training, that I had no time to take long walks through the village as I usually did. Because you know, walking around the village forces you to actually run into people, since yeah, the village is populated. Yet, I guessed that even if I did that, the other had missions too. _What the hell? What is this? When exactly did I become so social craving? I don't even know them well enough to call any of them more than 'acquaintance'._ Yeah. What was this all of the sudden? I was so engrossed in my conflicted ideas that I missed out a good portion of conversation with Iruka yelling at Naruto and the Third explaining something about the missions. I think.

"You always lecture me like that, pops" Naruto said sitting of the wooden floor with his legs crossed. _How and when did he get there?_ "But I'm not the kid who used to pull pranks anymore."

"No, you're the idiot who whines now."I agreed "But he's right. We can't keep doing D-ranked missions or we'll lose our bloody minds out of boredom. Aren't genin supposed to do C-ranked missions as well, whatever that means?"

"Kaya-chan..." I heard Sakura half protesting or something while Naruto was watching me with an expression torn between indignation and surprise.

"You have been paying attention" the Hokage said almost smiling. "But _you_ are doing missions _voluntary_."

_And if I don't like the mission I can refuse. ... and be put under ANBU surveillance until the team gets back. _ I gritted my teeth at the implied truth. _That quieted me_. Wonderful. _Awkward._ The rest of the team was looking at me. I smiled at the Hokage. _Ok. If he wants me to shut up, I will._

"I understand." He said "If you _insist,_ I will allow you to take on a C ranked mission. It's to escort a certain person"

"Really?!" Naruto turned to the Third with the face of a happy golden retriever. "Who?_ Who?_ The feudal lord? Or a princess?"

"Don't be so hasty. I'll introduce him now"

_Why did he have to say that? _I closed my eyes_._ Now my brain was swimming in Lord of The Rings. _Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves the dreams of trees unfold... _No. Nope. I shook my head earning a look from Sasuke.

"Can you come in, please?"

_...When woodland halls are green and cool, and the wind is in the west._ We all turned after the Third invited someone to enter the room. I sighed in anticipation. Yeah. It was that mission.

"What? They're all kids!"

_...Come back to me, come back to me and say my land is best!_ A very drunk Tazuna took some consistent sips from the bottle he was holding, steadying himself in the doorway. _At least the entish song stopped. And it isn't even the poem from the books, for the names of the Valar._ Yeah, it was from the movies.

"Hey, is the smallest one there with the idiotic face really a ninja?"

"Keh" I said shaking my head. I looked at the inebriated man with disgust. I hated people who drank and allowed themselves to get into this pathetic state.

"Who's the smallest one with the idiotic face?" Naruto asked and I sighed. Sasuke and Sakura got a little closer and the blonde looked up to both of them. I came laughing and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry blondie but you're in minority." I said gesturing from my forehead to his, pointing out the significant difference of height. _And I'm shorter than Sasuke._ Realization dawned on the blonde and Kakashi had to hold him back. With one hand, because this is Naruto we're talking about._ Shouldn't that mean that we need an entire army to hold him back?_ Shh. Not yet. A couple of year later.

"I'm going to kill you!"

"You can't kill the person you're supposed to escort, idiot."

"I'm going to kill you!"

"I am the bridge building expert Tazuna. Once I have returned to my country, I will have all of you protect my life with yours, until I finish the bridge."

"Ha" I said amused. "Well aren't you optimistic? I **will not** give my life to protect you. They will, **but I won't**." The others looked at me with surprised expressions. _Of course, that's not something a shinobi would say. _I couldn't stop myself_. _

Tazuna sent me a long glance before he became preoccupied with the bottle again. _So much about that._ I knew Tazuna, hell this was the fundamental mission for team seven. _This_ was when it all actually started. And I knew that, as a civilian, being aware that somebody wants you dead, the mob to be more exactly – Gato – wasn't really a nice feeling especially when you had close ones to worry about. Yes I was thinking about Inari and Tsunami. But that didn't mean I should be kind to him, not when he was treating us with superiority even if he needed us to protect him. _I hate arrogant people. _ I shot Sasuke a look and snorted. _Yeah that much is clear._ The black haired duck frowned at me but I just looked at Kakashi.

"So, when are we leaving?"

"You have one hour to pack. We meet at the Village Gate."

_Hurrah_. It took me twenty minutes to only get home. _Leaving in forty minutes? That leaves me very little time to actually pack things._ I rushed through the flat ignoring the fluffy cat that was watching me from my bed, sitting comfortably on a hump of clothes. _I should have washed those earlier. _Well, now it was too late. I went to the kitchen and took out of the fridge the packed food I've put in a day ago. _Something really stinks_. I've been preparing for a long term mission for some days now and I still felt a little paranoid about forgetting something. _Let's see_._ Food, ninja tools, sleeping bag, rope. _I always had rope with me, memento for Samwise Gamgee. I snorted. _I'm nuts._ I changed into my dark brown tank top and red unbuttoned shirt. Practical clothes: I loved them. I also packed another change of clothes, in case these got turned to rags_. Good_. I checked again to make sure I got everything. _I'm still forgetting something._ I kunai and shuriken were in my tool holder, food and water supplies alongside clothes in the bag, bandages and medicine in..._**bandages and medicine**__. _I shook my head on my way to the bathroom. _How could I forget_? Well, I didn't. I took my eye drops with me as well. I wasn't going to interrupt my treatment because of the mission. _Although I could say 'no' to this mission._ I shook my head. _And miss an opportunity to see how far I've come with my training? Miss all the fun?_ I chuckled and Mikasa watched me changing the sand in her littler box. _I'll get killed, most likely_. But how else was I going to make sure that everything went according to the anime? I wasn't Naruto or Sasuke. I was something like Sakura, slightly above her, but most likely just as useless right now._ Yeah, this is bad._ I grimaced at the thought. Now is not the best time for self pity and underestimating myself kind of crisis. Nope.

"So" I began turning in the middle of the room. "I packed my things, fed Mikasa and changed her littler sand, threw away the bad food in the fridge, closed the windows" I turned to the pyramid of laundry "didn't do _that_ and neither had I paid the bills" _That will bite me right in my ass when I get back._ **If** I get back. _Well, I've died once before. Maybe this time I get put in feudal Japan with demons and Inuyasha. And Naraku. _I shook my head. Have I ever mentioned how much I loved this world?

_The hour is almost gone_. Time to get going. I turned to my left looking at a very unusual object for this ninja world. Kakashi's words came back at me from three or so days ago '_Admittedly, it's unconventional, but not unheard of_'. I played my fingers of the smooth wooden surface and nipped the cord. _This is from back home. _ I smiled. Not the thing itself. No. One of those things, that along with my conscious, I took with me in this world. I put my black jacket on, rolling my sleeves up, struggling with the eye drops. _I think I'm paranoid indeed._ I watched my eyes in the mirror, attentive to how the supplementary liquid mixed with the cornea. _The doc said that they are losing melanin._ Yet I couldn't see any difference. Of course, they weren't pitch black as Sasuke's but they were dark brown. Granted now their color was lighter but that because of the white light in the bathroom and because they were red rimmed as a result of applying eye drops. _I always hated brown eyes._ Don't judge. I was born with pansy blue eyes. _But not in this world._ I snorted, putting the eye drops back in my backpack, leaving the flat in a hurry. _I'm going to be late._

* * *

**HI. I might be a little late with this chapter…. Yep. Had some internet problems, school hell and well laaaazinesssss**. **It's short, I know, but I risked it to be too long. It seems I have a problem when it comes to dosing my writing. Oh, well. School is over in two weeks and exams are coming a little faster than I expected. I have no idea when I'll update. Although I want to write at least 10 chapters until I take a longer break. I'll try to keep updating one a week, or at two weeks. About this chapter: I finally wrote about Kaya's health problems! Yay! I actually know someone who has eye problems because of melanin loss and it's not pretty. Also, Kaya is getting all ninja-mode right there! And her hair is curly, kind of. I don't know where that came from. I wrote Kaya very chaotic, because that's how she's thinking. A little bit of sarcasm, a little bit of childish outburst, a little bit of Katniss Everdeen and a little bit of psychopathy. Or something close to these things. Sasuke's way of dealing with the Massacre is revenge, silence and detachment. Kaya's way is chaos. Yay, for fucked up characters. **

**I want to thank you everyone who reviewed. You really help guys! ^_^ I underestimated the power of encouragement! Thank you. Thank you VERY MUCH!**

**Catch you guys later! **


	9. Herr Mannelig

**Chapter IX : Herr Mannelig**

"Kaya-chan!"

"Yeah, I know. I'm late" I sped up my paces toward Team seven and Tazuna who were waiting by the gate of the village. The one who greeted me from the distance was Sakura, waving her hand and smiling. How could she be so cheerful when a person as grumpy as me was approaching, was beyond me.

"What took you so long, Kaya-chan?" Naruto was the one ahead, anxious to start his first mission outside the village.

"Well, you know" I said passing the duck and watching him from the corner of my eye. "I had to feed the two zombie-squirrels and bury other four bodies in my backyard."

"…"

"I was joking!"_ For the love of the Vala._

"We should get going" Kakashi said while Naruto sent me weird glances from ahead. _Really?_ I shook my head, while a smile sprung up my face. _It is kind of funny. His reaction of course_. I've never been a funny person, let alone a random one, but I was beginning to develop a rather unhealthy addiction to macabre jokes.

"Um, Kaya-chan, is that a bow?" Sakura asked rather shyly. _No it's a rubber duck. _I nipped at the string that was resting across me body – the only way I knew or could carry it.

"Yeah. And these are some _arrows_ which are put in a _quiver._ Like the one on my shoulder." I explained talking slow as Sakura's expression became slightly annoyed. _Don't ask obvious things and I won't treat you like a retard._

"Hn"

"What was that Duckling?" I asked the Uchiha which was looking at my bow with discontent.

"Bow and arrows aren't ninja tools. They are useless in a fight." he said.

"You will be surprised." I stated coldly. "It is true that shinobi don't use archery when we have kunai ad shuriken and other weapons that are used in hand in hand and close combat – quite specific for ninja – but with a good aim and _exceptional_ reflexes, formed after a tedious and atrocious training…" I smiled venomously at the duckling. "It can be _very_ effective."

_No point in mentioning that I don't posses either of the two._ I had a good aim. I had been in the archery team of the school back home and I'd trained every minute of the time between missions – my fingers can tell the story – but one thing was to hit a target that wasn't moving and another thing was to hit a shinobi, moving with such a speed, my eyes couldn't keep up with. _Yeah, but I'm fast._ Yeah, but I had problems with my freaking eyes which happen to be essential in archery. _Oh, well_. It was better than stopping my training now when I've finally made some progress. _I have to work on my speed of shooting._ Actually, I had to work on my speed in general._ Indeed, but this is about archery. I also have to get used to adjust my aim to any target. And to do it fast. _Details. Yes_. Details which can make the difference between life and death_. Deductions and inductions and a good eyesight. _Constant vigilance! What is Mad-Eye Moody doing in my head?_

We walked for quite a while before making a stop. The weather was rather torrid and I wanted to crawl on the ground or _in the ground_. _I hate the Land of Fire. _ I've always dreamt of moving in the northern lands, countries like Finland, Sweden or Norway. Of course, that idea died the second I opened my undeveloped eyes in this world, twelve years ago. _Blonde hair. __**That**__ woman…_

"Hokage is the village's number one ninja, right?" Tazuna asked taking another sip from his bottle. "I don't think a guy like you can become one".

He was talking with Naruto. _Are they continuing a conversation or this is just a sudden attempt to needle the blonde?_ I had the habit of spacing out, unfortunately, missing out portions of conversations or even reality. Which, of course, was a sign of pathology if not mental illness, but _nothing _to bother myself with on a mission. _Especially on this mission._

"Shut up! I'm willing to go through any hardship to become Hokage!" was Naruto's predictable reply.

_Yeah, starting from being beaten to a pulp, training with a pervy Sannin, spend his entire teenage trying to bring back his best friend who doesn't really want to come back because the village killed his clan, stop a war, defeat a demon-mother-progenitor-of-chakra-goddess-not-really woman and loose his right hand. _Sadly enough, the old man _was_ talking with a future Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

"_If _I become Hokage, you will have to take notice of me!"

"I won't, kid. Even if you become Hokage."

"I'm going to kill you!"

"Stop, stupid"

"Last time I checked" I turned to Tazuna "the Land of Waves has no Hidden Village and relied on the help of Konohagakure. A little more respect for the Hokage title won't hurt."

"I wasn't disregarding the Hokage, just the blonde brat" the old man said pointing at the transfigured Naruto, while Kakashi was holding him back.

"You never know who the next Hokage is" _Perhaps a blonde, just not this one_. "And if you're done with the break, we should go." I looked around. _Am I anxious because I know what will happen, or because my intuition is screaming that something isn't right? _Kakashi shot me a look but said nothing. _He knows_. Well, yeah, I knew this from the anime, but my memories were blurry. From the whole Land of Waves arc I remembered very little. Actually, I remembered very little about the whole period before Shippudden. My hands were sweaty. _I should have written down everything I remember from the arc. Chronologically. _I was agitated and attentive to every sound no matter how faint, but I tried very hard not to draw the attention of the others, by forcing myself to walk calmly letting the blonde to walk in front.

"Kakashi-sensei" Sakura started after some time. "are there shinobi in the Land of Waves?"

"No, there are no ninja in the Country of the Waves" the grey jounin answered. "To the many countries that exist on this land, the existence of ninja villages is the equivalent of the country's military powers. In other words, this is how they are able to maintain the relationship with the neighboring countries. But the villages aren't under control of that country. They are supposedly equal in position." At the last part he looked at me. "On a small island like the Land of Waves, where it is difficult to be influenced by other countries, there is no need for a ninja village." I snorted and shook my head. "Among the countries that have a ninja village, since the five countries of fire, water, lightning, wind and earth, occupy a large mass of land and their power is immense, they are known as The Five Greath Ninja Powers. The Land of Fire's Hidden Village is Konoha. The Land of Water's Hidden Village is Kirigakure. The Land of Lightning's Hidden Village is Kumogakure. The Land of Wind's Hidden Village is Sunagakure. And the Land of Earth's Hidden Village is Iwagakure."_ This is a looooooong politics lesson._ "Only the leader of each hidden village is allowed to carry the name of 'Kage'. Hokage, Mizukage, Raikage, Kazekage, Tsuchikage, otherwise known as the 'Five Kages', are the ninjas that reign over the tens of thousands of ninjas that exists in the countries throughout the world."

"Are they responsible of every each of them?" I asked automatically. "The Kages. Do they take responsibility of every member of their nation?"

"Yes." Kakashi answered solemnly. "They are in charge of all ninjas from their country, protecting or condemning them, when the case occurs."

"Wow. Hokage-sama must be a great man!" Sakura exclaimed excitedly.

"But, not so good a Kage." I said dryly and that made both Sakura and Naruto turn to me. "He already failed as one."

My voice must have been a little harsher then I intended because although the others looked at me questioning they said nothing and I carefully avoided Sasuke's gaze. _It's absurd he doesn't know what I mean._ Yeah, but _I _knew. Funnily enough, they didn't protest. I have just insulted, or well, accused the head of the village of being a failure and no one actually reacted. Not even Kakashi. That didn't mean that I couldn't feel his eyes burning holes in my back, of course.

"Don't worry" Kakashi assured Sakura patting her on the head. "We won't have any ninja fights in a C-ranked mission." _Yeah, how I wished you were right. You have no idea. _But then again, if that was the case, it wouldn't fit the storyline of the anime.

"Then, there's no worry about meeting a foreign ninja." Sakura said a little more at ease.

"Of course"

Both I and Sasuke turned to look at the three, Kakashi, Sakura and Tazuna. _Especially Tazuna._ I looked at Sasuke. _Well, at least I'm not paranoid. _He titled his head almost imperceptible. So, he noticed too. _We're being watched. _I was impressed. If I remembered well Kakashi knew we were followed and ignored the two nins just to see who they were after. However, I couldn't remember if Sasuke noticed as well and as a consequence, hadn't been surprised when they were attacked or if he just happens to always be on his guard and have a better grip of his nerves than the others._ I wonder._ We continued walking on our way through the Land of Fire enjoying the _very _sunny day._ Such an intelligent choice of clothes._ I mean, on a hot and sunny day, what else could you can wear if not black clothing. My legs were melting underneath my dark pants. And they were high waisted and pretty thick, because as an aspiring ninja on a mission I couldn't actually wear jeans. _No, I had these. _ Perhaps I should write a book about pants. Nah, fashion has never been my _forte_. I started humming just to fill the silence and relax. Of course, this resulted in a very annoyed duck, a curious blonde and tense Tazuna. Well, he was tensed either way since he knew exactly how dangerous was to walk on the road with Gato wanting his head.

"Bergatrollet ut på dörren sprang, hon rister och jämrar sig svåra" I mumbled quietly. "Hade jag fått den fager ungersven, så hade jag mistat min plåga."

"Kaya-chan what are you humming?" Naruto asked turning.

_Not quiet enough it seems_.

"A song" I answered happy.

"What song?"

"One you've never heard about. It's in Swedish."

"What is 'Swedish'?"

"It's a Nordic language." _ One you've never_ _heard of._ I was exhausted by his questions. "It's a ballad"

"About what?" _Does he ever shut up? I should have never answered the first question he put._ Somehow I doubted that would have changed the situation very much. I sighed.

"About a mountain troll who tries to convince a knight to marry her so she'd be released from a curse." I explained. "It's a medieval ballad. She offers him different gifts: twelve steeds, twelve mills, a gilded sword and a shirt. As dowry. Some think that the 'troll' is actually a pagan woman, wanting to marry a Christian knight. " I grimaced. "But that only if you want to see it from a religious point of view. I don't."

"Does she succeed in convincing him?" Sakura asked curious. _ Is she thinking of another similar situation…?_

"Nope. He refuses her." I looked around the trees surrounding us and the river behind us, passing the low bridge. "Because she's not a Christian or pious woman. And because, well, she's a _troll_"

Sakura looked at me disappointed with the ending of the ballad. _Well, it's a ballad. Not all ballads are happy. Actually, I don't think I know a happy-ending ballad._ Nope. Not even in Tolkienverse. _**Definitely not in the Tolkien universe**__. _

"But Kaya-chan, where did you hear it from?"

_Oups_. That caught me off guard. I turned to Sakura and blinked a couple of times. Where did I hear it? _ From youtube, __which__ is a video-sharing website __on the internet, which __is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to link several billion devices worldwide, in a universe far away which might or might not exist. _No, that answer won't do.

"I can't really remember" I lied blatantly. "I heard it when I was very young. Half of it is invented by me" I grinned. "Although the story and lyrics are not mine. Those I took from a book in the library."

"You're an atypical shinobi, aren't you kid?" Tazuna asked glancing at me. "You don't seem preoccupied with ninja things. Even your clothes aren't something that ninjas would wear and rather warm for this weather."

"I'm forcing the hand of Fall" I replied stepping right in a puddle. "Argh! I hate getting water in my shoes. I knew I should have bought a new pair of boots." I continued mumbling trying to get the water out of what I guessed was standard shinobi foot-wear since the four of us had the same shoes. _We need some diversity. And another pair of eyes._ I looked at the trees with one of my shoes in my hand. _How long, I wonder._ I knew we were going to be attacked but the wait was agonizing. _ Ha. If now I'm like this, how will I react in the future? In critical situations when I know what will happen. _I shook my head. I needed to focus. First I have to get that further in the future. I don't think we distanced ourselves more than a couple of meters when the chains wrapped around Kakashi. _And my heart pounds in my ears._

"What?" Naruto exclaimed unable to react to the sudden attack and mortified when the chains seemingly turned the grey jounin to shards. "Kakashi-sensei!"

To say that my mind went blank was an understatement. I've never been much of a fighter even in my world. I was that pacifist, laid back and talking my way out of problematic situations. _Much like Tyrion, really._ I should have thought about the situation at hand. I should have remembered this from the anime_. _I_ should_.

_In the anime… what the fuck happens in the anime?!_

Thankfully, one of us actually reacted and that was, of course, the duck. The first thing he did was to pin the chains to a tree. _I remember._ I pulled an arrow out of the quiver and shot through Sasuke's shuriken. _That should hold. _

"Sakura, the client!" I whispered not trusting my voice to actually speak.

The two shinobi let go of the chain and parted. _Come on, I missed the glorious sight of Sasuke stepping on their arms._ … Really? My arrow was shaking in the bowstring. _Which one?_ One was going after Naruto who was frozen in his place and the other was coming after Sakura and Tazuna. _Yeah, but there's Sasuke too. _ I released my arrow, which surprisingly thrust the shoulder of the one behind Naruto, with a satisfying sound of pierced flesh. That didn't stop him though, only made him turn sideways, surprised. I aimed at the second ninja coming straight at Sasuke who was protecting Sakura and Tazuna with his own body. _How touching._ I felt the wood of the bow leaving marks in my palm. To my surprise, I couldn't shoot. Why? Out of sheer fear._ What the fuck…? _I could see the mass of black and metal coming closer to the others and I couldn't release the arrow because I wasn't sure I wouldn't hit Sasuke. Or Sakura. Not with my hands shaking as if I had fucking Parkinson. _I hesitate._ I was just as frozen as Naruto. _Where is Kakashi anyway?_

_It seems the odds are in my favor_. As if I just summoned him, Kakashi appeared with both of the ninjas immobilized and unconscious. _When did he…? Nevermind_. I sighed relieved lowering the bow. _I didn't even see him._ But that was the point I guessed

"Yo"

"What do you mean 'Yo'?!" I exclaimed. _For one second…_

For one second I thought that something would go _really badly_ and off the fucking original plot of the anime. _But that isn't the case... yet_.

"Naruto, sorry for not helping out right away. I got you hurt. I didn't think you would freeze like that. Anyway, Sasuke, good job. Sakura you too."

I approached slowly, gathering my first arrow from the tree along the shuriken the duck used. _Hm, he keeps his toys really sharp._ I inspected the arrow, which had a deep cut in the wood. _Yeah, useless now._ I joined the others with Kakashi still holding the two nins (yes this is the lazy person I was; the word is ninja, don't be lazy like me kids!) . I took my time walking just to calm my nerves and stop the shivering still present in my hands. I arrived exactly in one of the most delicious moments of Team seven.

"Are you hurt…scaredy-cat?"

_Oh_. I looked between the smug Uchiha smirking and the spiked haired Uzumaki ready to explode with fury.

"SASUKEEEE!"

"Naruto. There's poison on these guys' claws. We need to take out the poison right away." Kakashi said stopping the pointless rivalry.

"W-what?!"

"We have to open up your wound and leech out the poisoned blood. Don't move too much, or the poison will spread through your body. By the way Tazuna-san… I have to talk to you."

"Ok. So you need rope." I said happily taking out of my bag the object in question. "To tie them up. And I need my arrow back."

"Oh, Kaya" Kakashi said as if he just noticed me being there. "Good aim. And speed too. But a shot in the shoulder isn't effective enough in such a situation."

"Yeah. I saw."_ I wasn't aiming for his shoulder._ Which was sad.

I handed the rope to Kakashi because I still didn't trust my hands. I felt his eyes linger on my hands before taking the rope. I clenched them in fists. _Damn. Why am I reacting like this?_ I knew nothing bad would happen. I knew _everything_ that was going to happen. I knew Kakashi was going to interfere. _I knew._ Yet, there had been the possibility – or was it all in my head? – that things weren't going to turn up the way they did in the anime. No. That wasn't why I hesitated. That wasn't what froze me in my place and made me feel as if my blood turned for a split second in iced water. No. _I was afraid of death. Mine and Sasuke's, Sakura's, Naruto's even Tazuna's. _It was absurd really. Being reincarnated in this world… shouldn't death be familiar to me? _I never acknowledged death. _That was true. I couldn't remember how I died. I couldn't remember anything concrete from the day of my death. Or from the days before that. No, I remembered my life, my mother, my best friend, cat, school, retarded schoolmates and teachers alike, my hobbies, my books, _**Me**_. But all that was cast aside by this world, by this existence, by this _Me_. They couldn't coexist. I would lose my mind. I could remembered my life as clear as I could remember my childhood with Nekobaa, the Academy days, the afternoons with the cats, the Massacre and the therapy that followed. All that I could possibly take with me from my world was knowledge about this world. _And even that is questionable._ Because I couldn't remember certain things. _ What am I going to do after this mission?_ I couldn't remember anything about what happens next. I knew the Chūnin Exams followed. _I should stick to this mission first. _

"… I needed to know who they were targeting"

Kakashi's words brought me back to reality. Tazuna looked at him visibly not comfortable with the turn of the conversation. The two ninja – Kakashi said they were chūnin, I think – were tied to a tree, now conscious glaring at us. Ha. I was so preoccupied with my own thoughts that I didn't register any of the movement around me. _I should WAKE UP._

"What do you mean?" Tazuna asked uneasy.

"In other words, were you being targeted or someone from our group?" Kakashi continued on his even voice. "We haven't heard anything about you being targeted by ninja. Your request was to be protected on your road from armed groups like gags or robbers. This is a mission that is above B-rank. Our job was to support and guard you until you completed the bridge. If ninja are our enemies, this mission would have been an expensive B-rank. It looks like you have your own reasons, but it only troubles us if you lie in your requests details. This… wasn't part of the mission."

"This mission is out of our league" Sakura stated fed up with ninja adventure time for one day. "Let's quit. We need anesthesia to take out the poisoned blood out of Naruto's hand as well."

"We need to return to the village and see a doctor" Kakashi agreed.

"Aesthesia? Doctor? What's wrong with the traditional way?" I said mimicking in the air stabbing my hand which would make Vlad the Impaler extremely proud.

"That's not hygienic, Kaya-chan. And it's dangerous!"

"This sure is a burden. Let's go back to the village and cure Naruto" Kakashi said nonchalant.

I rolled my eyes. _That's supposed to not needle the blonde at all._ I turned around just to make a point for my indignation …and my eyes landed on the Uchiha. _Why is he staring at me?_ It wasn't a glare, for once, but it wasn't an innocent look either. It was rather suspicious and curious, wrapped in a frown. I raised my brows and blinked in confusion, demanding an answer. Behind me the sound of a kunai in the air made me turn abruptly on my heels.

"Why am I so different…why am I always…? Damn it!" Naruto's voice filled the short silence holding his injured hand which was pierced from one side to the other by a kunai. Blood was dripping rapidly on the ground in big drops, his hand shaking in pain. _Gross._

"Naruto, what are you doing?!" Sakura came forward mortified by her team mate's action but Naruto acted as if he didn't hear her.

"I should be stronger. I've accomplished lots of missions and I've practiced techniques every day. I'm never going to do something that will require someone to help me. I'm never going to be frightened and try to back out of things. I'm not going to lose to Sasuke" his voice became determined swallowing the painful shaking from the beginning and I had to smile at his last statement. _You won't. "_ I vow that to this pain in my left hand. I'm going to protect the old man with this kunai!" he turned to us barely keeping it together because of the pain, but managed to laugh. "The mission is still on!"

_This idiot._

"Naruto, it's nice that you took out the poisoned blood so spiritedly, in the fashion Kaya-chan recommended it so _kindly_…. " Kakashi spoke as I mumbled a 'That was a joke'. "But you're going to die from loss of blood if any more blood comes out."

_**This**__ idiot._

Silence.

"It's not good if you don't stop it right away. Seriously."

"No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

The blonde started fidgeting which most certainly wasn't helping his injured hand while Kakashi was on his level and Sakura approached with her hands on her hips in indignation at the idiot's lack of logic. I turned my head in an attempt to hide my laughter threatening to erupt from my throat.

"I can't die like this!"

"Show me your hand."

"You can't let me die!"

"Naruto, you have a self-abusing personality" _And ADHD, histrionic, anxious, self-DESTRUCTIVE, with influences of mild (MILD!) sociopathy_. Sakura forgot those, of course.

Kakashi was bandaging the hand of a very concerned Naruto, while Sakura was watching attentive probably learning how to wrap a bandage. _Actually we learnt that in the Academy… right?_ Yeah … probably. I was wondering what Kakashi was examining at Naruto's hand. Actually, no, I wasn't wondering, because I already knew. _How ironical. I wasn't a fan of the manga/anime when I was in my world, now I am forced to remember what I watched once, half attentive, usually writing an essay_. I was a bigger Naruto fan now, trapped in his world, then when I was watching the anime. _Ha_. I was half tempted to get closer and see how Naruto's wound was healing by itself. **Half** _tempted_.

"Spit it out, duckling" I said still watching the three in front of me while being fully aware of a staring duck in on my left. "It can't be healthy to boil it in like that"

"You were afraid"

I turned my head to him abruptly. I didn't answer his challenge of speaking and elaborating the subject. Hm. _Is he asking why? Or is he accusing me of not being able to release the arrow and freeze like Naruto?_ _Or perhaps he is trying to play with my nerves as he does with Naruto._ Because, Sasuke had this rare gift of stepping on people's nerves with a thick bluntness. His dark eyes were unnerving because I couldn't read anything in them. Only that he was growing impatient with my late answer.

"Of course I was" I said at least. "So were you. I just happen to fear for my life as well. I'm not fond of the idea of taking a human life either. Or I'm not prepared to...yet. And I'm not a hero either" I added dryly hinting at his choice to protect Sakura and Tazuna with his own life. Then I frown. "Actually, I'm a coward. I was _frightened_. I've seen my share of dead Uchiha."

I walked away from Sasuke and Tazuna. No word came from the duckling and I knew that he was either too confused, too annoyed or too astonished – highly improbable – with my answer. I turned my head while heading to where Kakashi was almost done with Naruto's injury.

"Haven't you?"

Just as before, no answer came from the Uchiha.

* * *

**Yeah…. so that happened. I really suck at fighting scenes. I cringed at reading the short one in this chapter. No seriously. It's…bad. I couldn't update in the weekend because… sleep (and learning! My exams start in a month!). And I'm not sure when I'll be able to update next so… yeah. Things are chaotic, my schedule has been turned upside down, Sansa Stark has been raped by Ramsay (… oups? Spoiler alert?) and I discovered that School isn't Hell. No. School is HELVEGEN! (the road to Hell. I think.). I have read Naruto Gaiden! AND I CAN'T WAIT THE NEXT CHAPTER FROM IT! I love Sarada (I knew I would. I'm biased about everything Uchiha – as much as I am when it comes to Lannisters… don't shoot me, please ^_^?). But Chou-Chou! (or is it ChouChou? Or Chouchou? Chou Chou?... Help?). That kid, whenever opens her mouth to talk, steals the show! Anyway, back to this chapter. I wanted to write until after Zabuza. BUT. I decided against it. I need a clear mind for that. That will happen most likely this weekend. Oh. This is my last weekend with my classmates. It just hit me. Anyway. I can't wait to write the tree climbing scene ( Blackenflames you will have a surprise ;) ). I realized this chapter that although the story is Sasuke/Oc there is little to no interaction between Kaya and him … or is it? ;) For those who look forward that I only say: Patience is a virtue. **

**PS: All good things come to those who wait.**

**I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M UPDATING IN THE **_**MIDDLE**_** OF THE WEEK!**


	10. Ave Atque Vale

**Chapter X: Atque in perpetuum, frater, a_ve atque vale_**

_I hate boats_. I sneezed waving my hand through the thick mist which proved to be a bad idea, making me lose my balance. There was also the dizziness, sign of a person not accustomed with traveling by boat, and the massive headache I thought I escaped since leaving the village. _ No such luck._ Nope, I wasn't a lucky person indeed. I was keeping myself occupied, tying and untying my forehead protector which I was wearing it on my bow arm. _Ha. I never wear it in the same spot. _I was usually tying it on my arm just to get it out of the way. _Instead of 'protecting', it's getting in my way._ But that was my fault.

The others didn't seem to be bothered by the boat. _Well, the boat itself doesn't bother me either_. The boat rocked and I clenched the side of it, closing my eyes._ When did I become Sam Gamgee?_ The moment I got on this boat, apparently.

"_What news from the South, oh sighing wind, do you bring to me at eve? Where now is Boromir the Fair? He tarries and I grieve_." I mumbled almost squeezing my legs with my arms. Whenever I felt it was too quiet, I sang to myself. I have no idea why, but songs got stuck in my head, singing was just a way of getting them out. I hoped. "_Ask not of me, where he doth dwell – so many bones there lie. On the white shores, on the dark shores, under the stormy sky. So many have passed down Anduin to find the flowing Sea. Ask of the North Wind news of them, the North Wind sends to me. Oh, Boromir, beyond the gate the south road runs south. But you came not with the wailing gulls from the grey sea's mouth-_it's that a bridge? My eyes don't work well in the mist."

My sentence made everyone look up to the mass of wood and metal. _That is one huge bridge._ It was absurd to be so impressed by this meek construction. Yes, it was _big _but back home I've seen gigantic buildings. Castles, temples, churches, manors, The Golden Gate Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge, The Kremlin. And many others, but all that belonged to another world, while in here, right now, this bridge was _HUGE_.

"Yes, this is the bridge" the man rowing us across the water nodded. "If we move along the side of it we'll be at the Country of the Wave"

"It's huge!" Naruto exclaimed echoing my thoughts.

"Naruto, please stop moving" I said feeling the blood retreating from my face and my stomach rising like a ball in my throat.

"Hey! Be quiet! We're using this boat and hide in the mist. I'm rowing instead of using the engine so we won't be caught. Or we'll be in trouble."

"Are you ok, Kaya-chan?"

I nodded at Sakura, not speaking one word out of fear of throwing up. I looked at Tazuna after the man shushed Naruto . _I pity him_. I could see Kakashi and Sasuke work out what was going on. _Why couldn't I just be born with the power to speed up time? _If I could, I would hit the 'fast-forward' button to get over this sequence. The sea sickness was tormenting.

"Tazuna-san" Kakashi started fixing the bridge builder "Before the boat gets to the pier, there's something I need to ask you. The identity of those who are after you and the _reason_ they are after you. Or we can call this mission off when you get ashore, Tazuna-san."

_Why did I not bring vomiting bags with me_? Perhaps the reason was that I had no such thing at home. I mean, the only time I've ever been on a boat had been in Venice when I was ten. I didn't feel sick, but mostly because I couldn't feel at the time the waves threatening to roll over the boat like I did now. Tazuna didn't answer Kakashi. He fell silent looking down to the wood of the boat, debating internally whether or not to tell the truth. I wished he would decide faster.

"It looks like I have to tell you the real story" Tazuna finally spoke. _Kind of, old man._ "As you said, this is most likely out of your job description. An extremely terrible man is after my life."

"An extremely terrible man?" Kakashi asked skeptical with Tazuna's brief description.

"Yes"

"Who is it?"

"You should have all at least heard the name of the marine transportation billionaire Gatō."

"Gatō? The one from the Gatō Company?" _... no, Kakashi the one from the Taroukizaemonnosyoutokiyori one. _ I doubted I could pronounce that."He's one of the richest men in this world."

"Who's that? What is that?" Naruto inquired with curiosity.

"Yes, he is the president of The Marine Transportation Company… but underground, he uses gags and ninjas to smuggle drugs and contraband goods. He also does nasty jobs like takeovers of other companies and countries. A year ago, he set his sights on the Land of Waves. He entered this country using violence and wealth as his shield and he quickly took over the island's sea traffic and transportation. On an island like the Land of Waves, controlling the Sea means ruling over the wealth, politics and people of this island. And the only thing Gatō is afraid of is the completion of the bridge that has been under construction for quite some time. "

"I see" Sakura spoke giving the old man a calculated look. "So you, as the one building the bridge, became an obstacle to him."

"Then those ninja were sent by him" Sasuke stated the obvious._ Duck…. You have to work on your deductions._

"Why does it not surprise me?" I snorted. "We get one decent mission and it's a B-ranked declared a C-rank. With assassins and the mob."

"But I don't understand. He's a dangerous man that uses ninjas. Why did you hide that fact from us?"

I looked at Kakashi. _He must know the answer to that._ But if you could make an old man admit that he lied to one of the most prominent powers of this world in order to protect and help his own country and its people from one of the most _wealthy _persons , as well as the head of the local (or not so local?) mob, why not as well do it.

"The Land of Waves is a really poor country. Even the feudal lord doesn't have much money. And we do not have enough either." Tazuna explained looking down. "We don't have enough money to request a B-rank or above mission. If you quit your mission after I land, I'll be killed for sure while I get home." I rolled my eyes. "But there's no need for you to blame yourselves. Only my cute eight years old grandson will cry and cry and cry some more. And my daughter will just hold a grudge against Konoha ninja and live a lonely life! But it's not your fault. "

"What happened with 'Be quiet'?" I asked shaking my head. We all looked between us arriving to the same conclusion.

"I guess it can't be helped. We will continue escorting you" Kakashi said in the name of the team, since he _was_ a jounin.

"That's good to hear"

"No. That's it" I said crawling to one side of the boat and pushing the duck out of my way.

I emptied my stomach in the waves trying not to fall into the water. _This is bad._ My heart beats were pounding in my ears and for some seconds I couldn't hear anything but that. I rested against the boat breathing slowly. I could vaguely hear Sakura ask me something but I couldn't make out the words._ But it's so much better._ I was shivering as I usually did after vomiting, my body weak and trying to recover. At least now I felt much lighter.

"Water" I whispered weakly, waving my hand to gather air around me. _I need something cold. _Someone held a bottle of water and helped me drink from it not trusting my hand to hold the plastic and I was grateful for that. Getting over the feel of frustration because of my state and sea sickness, I was fast to regain my strength and hold the bottle myself. _I'm not a fucking baby._ I was annoyed by my helpless state.

"How longer till we arrive at land?" Kakashi asked eyeing me.

"Not much longer" Tazuna answered.

"I'm fine" I said clinging to the cold bottle, glued to my forehead. _This feels good._ "Thank you" I said to Sasuke to my right because I was abusing of his water supplies after all. He frowned, nodding, but his expression told me that he will pester me about this the next few days. _If we all survive._

It was ironical, really. We spent almost a week on the road, walking at normal speed because we had Tazuna with us; not even once was I sick. My whole body seemed to enjoy the change of surroundings, the fresh air, sleeping under the stars, etc. I learned from my own experience that sleeping anywhere close to Naruto was harmful psychically and physically. He was turning and moving in his sleep like a true ADHD child. Oh, and I discovered that I liked roasted rabbit more than anything I could semi-cook. _But from the moment I got in this boat…_ it has been HELL.

We went through some kind of tunnel. _My knowledge about ports, boats, ships and anything linked to this subject is astonishing_. The moment we got out of the tunnel-like thing, sun hit us _violently_.

"Oh" I said covering my eyes because I couldn't see anything around me. "Wonderful."

It wasn't until the boat stopped that my eyes got used with the shining sun. _Something is seriously wrong with my eyes._ Well, not really. I discovered that my eye drops actually made my eyes more sensitive to light, but other than that nothing changed. _Something changed_. Ah, yes. The blurriness was gone. I hoped.

We got off the boat one by one. _Yay, my legs are working_… kind of. I didn't need help getting off the boat and even if I had I would have never allowed anyone to help me. My pride was already wounded; I didn't have to twist the knife.

"Kaya-chan?" Kakashi eyed me as I lost my balance for a second.

"Give me a minute" I said stepping next to a house, in the shadow. I gathered some water in my palms and splashed my face. I shook my head and caught a deformed glimpse of myself because of the waves. I didn't look half that bad as I was expecting. In my mind, I was already seeing myself with the hair of a woman escaped from a madhouse, with my dry skin and face of a person dead for at least three days. I _was_ very pale and my lips were dry but other than that I was fine. I got up on my feet and approached the others as the boatman started the engine and put some distance between the boat and land.

"You are fine, Kaya-chan? You look very pale." Naruto asked with a suspicious voice. _Ha._

"Yeah. Now I'm fine." I waved my hand. "I had no idea I have sea sickness"

"It's the first time you were on a boat?" Tazuna asked while we walked, distancing ourselves from the water.

"First time" I nodded and so did Tazuna in understanding.

"Alright, take me home safely" Tazuna smiled happy to be back in his home country.

"Everything will be fine, old man" I said passing on his right away from either Sakura or Naruto. I felt the need to think and recover from the earlier sickness and I couldn't do either of these with Naruto constantly fidgeting in front of me, or with Sakura examining my state like I was an injured animal.

_Yay, for the quiet corner._ Which wasn't a corner and was composed of Kakashi, Sasuke and now, me. _Kakashi must have thought about our encounter with the two __chūnin from Kirigakure._ Well, of course he thought of it, but he must have figured out that our next encounter won't be with some other easy-to-beat ninja, but most likely at least a jounin level ninja. _Maybe we should have tortured those two into telling us where Gat__ō is_. Yeah, if Tazuna would have told us earlier it was him they were trying to kill, if we weren't a team of genin and if Kakashi approved of mass assassinations not appointed by the Hokage. Not to mention getting involved with the commercial affairs of another country. If I didn't think the others would mark me as odd (if they haven't yet) I would have facepalmed. _What is wrong with me?_ I sighed, earning a look from a slightly curious duck. I must confess, that the whole team thing... unnerved me. I was used to spending time alone, or with Mikasa, watching after my own things and persona without engaging in any kind of social activity. Any at all. Spending even one week with other people made me aware of how inadaptated I have become. Socially. I was awkward with people which was a new thing for me. I've spent twelve years caught in this alternative reality, locking myself from people. It hadn't been a smart move.

I was jealous of Sakura's social skill. That girl spoke and interacted with people so easily. At the same time I was grateful for that because it actually helped me feel more at ease. She was initiating the conversation, I was carrying it forward. Not the same thing I could say about the Duck. If it wasn't absolutely necessary he wouldn't mutter _a single_ word. But he wasn't awkward with people, nor was he struggling with blending in, but that because he didn't care, wanted or concerned himself with it. However, it has come into my attention that he was keeping an eye on me. Observing me. I had no idea why and I didn't like it. Actually, now that I thought about it, it was kind of mutual. But I was keeping an eye on everyone. Things were… broken between us two Uchiha. We both went through the same traumatic event, although we didn't perceive it the same way. It wasn't _my_ brother that killed the whole clan and _my_ family, after all. I didn't think the not-so-discreet remarks coming from me about the clan helped the situation very much. _It's a sort of curiosity mixed with not wanting to needle a yet not closed wound._ And I didn't think it would settle too soon, seeing as my guilt and my chaotic mind wouldn't let me go.

_I left out Jesus Christ._ Ah. The blonde. I looked ahead at the orange clothed Uzumaki-Namikaze. I smiled, shaking my head slightly. Naruto was annoying_**. Really annoying.**_ At the point of contemplating how he would look impaled in a stake … which of course I would never do. I couldn't hate him, that's why rather than scowling I was laughing at his stupidity. He was breaking my heart. All his childhood he has been alone, isolated. All those years made him thirsty for acknowledgment. His rivalry with Sasuke was a result of that. I did have something in common with the blonde. Neither of us knew our parents (well, at least I wasn't _supposed_ to know his) and neither of us tried to find out who they were. I couldn't stand looking at this kid too much. _Not literally._ How could I, when all I could see was pain, sadness, love, suffering, friendship, achievement, death, love? All the things to come were linked to this idiot and knowing what a long and twisted road was ahead, was the main reason I wanted to watch things from distance. I didn't want his future, I didn't want his suffering. I was selfish but perhaps not so. I wasn't self destructive. Naruto, Sakura, the other Rookies were strong enough to get through the future events, I wasn't and I doubted I would ever be. _ Am I thinking all this because we are in eminent danger?_ We were going to face Momochi Zabuza after all.

I watched as the two idiots walked in front of us all, close almost as if each of them wanted to be _the_ one walking in the front. _What the…?_ Then Naruto sprung forward and scooted the area with a kunai in his hand. _Is he sensing someone?_ I looked around, concentrating on our surroundings. There was indeed someone, but the intruder's chakra felt weird. Concealed. Hidden from the young untalented – but perhaps not so untalented?ehehe – genin like me. _Especially like me._ I had yet to get used with the idea of chakra. However, putting aside the oddity of it, using it was pretty … natural. Very much like breathing. Or blinking. _If you aren't Galadriel._ What bothered me was that I was doing it instinctively and not because I knew what I was doing. _I literally have no idea what I am doing._ But it was working. I sighed. Sometimes I was seriously questioning my intellect.

"There!" the blonde exclaimed throwing the kunai in a random direction. _No. He sensed nothing. He's just being an idiot._ His action took us all by surprise.

"What is that idiot doing?" I hissed a little too loud and too close for Sasuke's ears as he glared at me. But, of course, what the blond idiot was doing was more intriguing at the moment.

"Oh, it was just a mouse." he said trying to sound smooth.

"Stop showing off!" Sakura exclaimed unnerved by Naruto's attempt to seem 'alert'. "There was nothing out there!"

"Please, Naruto, don't use your kunai so abusively." Kakashi smiled nervously using 'his sensei voice'. It usually worked with Naruto.

"Hey, dwarf! Don't scare us!"

I sighed at Tazuna. So he didn't actually trust us with his life. As the hypocrite I was, I found that quite offensive.

"Um, guys" I started. "There is something, moving slightly right there, but… "

"Someone is hiding over there!" Naruto cut me off throwing a second kunai.

Sasuke frowned and looked at me, while I shook my head sighing. _It's nothing_. Well, that was a lie, but after spending nights in the small woods, giving Nekobaa a fright, I could easily make the difference between animals shifting under leaves and Kirigakure missing-nins carrying massive swords lurking in the trees and waiting to cut our pretty little necks …_ But are we supposed to meet Zabuza now? _Or was my memory playing tricks on me?

"I told you to stop!" Sakura hit Naruto over head which I guessed wasn't the best solution to extorting stupidity out of him. _No indeed._ I sighed and made way through the bushes.

"It isn't a mouse" I explained as Kakashi came closer to investigate the potential threat. "It's a rabbit."

"Which makes crucial difference." Sasuke said and I swear he was trying to needle either Naruto or me.

"Naruto! Look what you've done!"

"Sorry I didn't mean it" Naruto took the rabbit and started rocking it like a baby. _That's not how you hold an animal._ What was wrong with these people? Had they never held an animal before? "Sorry rabbit."

"That's a snow rabbit" I said my hand gong instinctively to the quiver and the bow string. "In late summer. In the Land of Waves."

"Huh?" Sakura looked at me confused. "What about it?"

"Its fur. It's _white_." _ It's cruel to use animals for a Replacement Jutsu._

"Everyone, get down!"

We used to do this kind of exercises at school. Our teacher was an androgynous woman (man?) who lived to show us what dummies we were when it came to physical activities. As a good archer and runner, not to mention a very proud person, that didn't go well with me and I refused to take part in that particular class because of a 'mysterious illness'. I made sure, however, that I was bumping into her/him while attending archery every evening. _Damn nostalgia. _

We all reacted differently getting out of the way as Zabuza's sword flew over our heads. Massive sword. Executioner's sword. Shaped like a butcher's knife. It was _**HUGE**_. How the fuck was he holding it? Seriously, have you even seen that sword?! _It's ridiculously massive_. And dangerous. _ He just threw it at us._ Now it was stuck in a tree trunk. With Zabuza standing on it. _Snap out of it._ But this was ridiculous. Yeah, ridiculous, in a world where people have chakra, clans are wiped out in one night, twelve year children faced high trained ninja and I shoot arrows trying to kill said ninja.

I got hold of my bow and put an arrow in the string, my eyes fixed on the Mist missing-nin. It was arrogant of him to stand with his back turned to us, showing how little he feared a confrontation. _You never turn your back to the enemy._ The others were waiting tensed, looking between Kakashi and our new opponent. _Funny way of wearing the headband._ One thing I never understood was why Zabuza hid his face.

"Oh, my, my, you are Momochi Zabuza" Kakashi got closer with his hands in his pockets as if he was just recognizing a fellow ninja on a sunny day walking downtown the Country of Waves. _Confidence. Not only to show Zabuza that he isn't surprised but to tell us that everything is under control. _ _Perhaps_ it would have worked if I didn't know things _weren't_ under control. "The exiled ninja of the Hidden Village in Mist."

I tensed the bowstring. It wasn't because I was planning to shoot Zabuza – he was a highly trained ninja, a missin-nin working as an assassin, I doubted an arrow was a problem to him – but to calm myself. I felt safer with a weapon in my hands. As fucked up as that was for a person who never tried to kill people before and had been educated to disregard violence. But that was another life. Naruto started forward but Kakashi stopped him with a hand.

"Stand back everyone. You'll only get in the way." Kakashi spoke not out of overconfidence but because he was trying protect us from a potentially very dangerous threat. _Well, he's not wrong._

"Naruto" I spoke in a lowered tone "That's a missing – nin."_ As if that's supposed to stop him._

"And what's with that?" Naruto asked indignant.

"He's way different from the guys we met before." Kakashi explained calmly. "If he's our enemy…" his hand went up to his forehead protector covering his left eye "I can't win like this."

"I'm guessing you are Kakashi the Sharingan user." Zabuza said in a flat voice. _Yeah. I bet he didn't know who Kakashi is._

My eyes sought immediately the duck, as if the word ringed some very loud alarms and flashes in the back of my mind. Neither of us gave away any reaction but we both were bound to recognize the name of our clan's dōjutsu. I looked back at the grey jounin. _Isn't it a bit soon for that...?_ To be honest I could't remember this fight. I knew Kakashi used his Sharingan, but gets trapped in a sort of jutsu and that Sasuke and Naruto end up saving him due to teamwork. _And then Haku._ But I had no idea how it will be influenced by my presence. _Hopefully not much. I'm like an intruder. _How could I help without fucking up the entire thing?

"I'm sorry, but I'll need you to hand over the bridge builder" Zabuza said politely but not really.

"Oh, sorry to hear that" I started talking when I knew I should shut up. "But we can't really do that. He's our mission. We'll have to _kindly_ ask you to let us pass, so we can carry on with it. Thank you in anticipation."

_Why? _Zabuza looked at me from up high on his sword – still, that thing is HUGE and it went over our heads? – amusement almost twinkling in his eyes. Or at least that's what I saw. I think. I hope?

"A witty brat" his voice didn't gain any inflections. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Well, I tried" I sighed earning a 'are-you-crazy' look from Sakura. The answer was clear.

"Everyone listen up" Kakashi spoke without turning. _Of course he can't turn, that would be suicide._ "Don't forget our mission. Protect Tazuna-san. And don't interfere in the battle."

He lifted his headband and revealed the crimson Sharingan with three pitch black tomoye. _ Sooo preeety._ The scar was rather log, cutting vertically on his eyelid and disappearing under the headband and respectively under the mask. It was, and it wasn't faint.

"I'm honored that I can see the Sharingan that I've heard about" Zabuza said sincerely and his politeness hit me again. _So even if he's our enemy, there is no reason to be rude._ Hannibal Lecter was growing on me. _Shit. I've never got to watch season 3._ Oh. Shiiiiit.

"Sharingan! Sharingan! What is Sharingan?!"

I wondered when will I ever not label Naruto as 'This idiot'. I sighed while getting closer to Tazuna.

"Sharingan is a powerful dōjutsu kekkei genkai. The eye creates it and is the power that the pupil generates. The ones who use the dōjutsu are said to be able to see through all genjutsu, taijutsu and ninjutsu, and cancel their effects." _Are said?_ I looked at the young Uchiha duck and frowned. _Hasn't__ he activated __the Sharingan, like, years ago?_ Could it be… that he wasn't aware of it? _That's retarded._ Still. "But that's not the only ability the Sharingan possesses." I snorted at that. _That's a serious understatement._

"Not to mention that it appears selectively among the members of a certain clan." I eyed Kakashi with a sarcastic smile. _I should't react like this. It's suspicious. _ Well, I could always say that I'm mentally deranged. _Now that I'm thinking about... would that be too far from the truth?_

"Correct"_ Zabuza approves._ "But that is only a scratch about the multitude of things that the Sharingan can do. The scary part is that the Sharingan can understand how an opponent technique works and copy it."

_No. That's not the scary part. Madara is the scary part._ But that was too soon. Just as Zabuza stopped talking mist started to gather around._ Fuck. _One of the most iconic techniques of Zabuza and I forgot about it. _ Again, what the fuck is wrong with me?_

"Sakura" I whispered covering my mouth with the hand I was pulling the arrow in the string. "get closer to Tazuna and tell the others as well."

She nodded, holding a kunai and stepped towards a confused Naruto. _I can at least put them in guard can't I ? _It wasn't like we were all tensed and aware of the fact that we were on the verge of a fight.

"When I was in the Hidden Village in Mist's assassination squad" Zabuza's voice seemed to reverberate around but I could see him still in his initial position as the mist got thicker and thicker. "your information was listed in the bingo book I carried asking for your capture." He was talking about Kakashi, of course. Well, believe it or not but I didn't hold bingo books in very high regard. All that was written there was coming from ANBU most likely, which in Konoha meant Danzo. So yeah. "It also said: the man who copied more than a 1000 techniques_, Kakashi the Copy Ninja_."

I was in awe. _I've never seen a mist like this_. Yes it was bad because I couldn't see anything further then three meters perhaps and that gave Zabuza the liberty to cut us to pieces without even seeing him, but it was a technique I would love to learn … just not from Zabuza.

"I think that's enough talk."Zabuza's voice took a darker turn. "I have to kill the old man right away." _Then why waste time talking?_ This bothered me from the start. Was it something from the anime…? I had no idea. I could waste time trying to remember and most likely get killed, being distracted and all that. _Yeah… better not. _

We all gathered around Tazuna. _And now my watch begins._ I smiled, distancing myself vaguely from the three, attentive to everything that moved._ Damn this mist._ If a wild squirrel decided to spontaneously have a taste of us I would shoot it. If a mosquito landed on my nose, I wouldn't notice it. I tried to locate Zabuza and watched _everything. He's still in the tree._ Not literally of course. _ Nothing gets pass me._ Kakashi was in front of us.

"But, Kakashi, it seems I have to defeat you first."

I snorted. Yeah. Fuck us. We don't matter. Then I couldn't see him anymore. _He disappeared!_ We were all four alert. _Water. That's the keyword._

"He's there!"

I followed Naruto's gaze to see Zabuza standing on the surface of a flowing river. _I want to learn that too. _Is he…? Y_ep._ I looked at the position of his arms and the water stirring around his feet. That's chakra. In the water. _The mist?_ Or something bigger.

"Is he standing _on_ water?" Sakura asked confused. Well, I wasn't the only one clueless when it came to jutsus and chakra manipulation. _But she's not clueless._ Just… easily impressed.

"That's a lot of chakra he's imbedding into the water." I frowned. "Be _careful_"

"Mist concealment."_ Wonderful._ Note to self: Mist isn't good for archery._ No shit. _

"He disappeared!"

"Blah" I make a disgusted noise. "This is _humid_." My hair was glued to my neck where it came out of the braid and black ringlets even got into my eyes. _I am so cutting it when we get to Tazuna's. _I was my own hairstylist. That way I didn't want to skin other people alive. Other than myself, of course_. I should probably focus on the fight. _Probably.

"He'll try to eliminate me first, yet…" Kakashi got closer to the side of the river. As a jounin his first concern was to protect us and take out the threat.

"Who is he?"Sakura almost demanded clutching the kunai.

"Momochi Zabuza. He was in the Hidden Village in Mist's ANBU and was known for his 'silent killing' techniques." Kakashi almost cited a bingo book.

"Silent…?"

"Ah." I said. "Like now, you mean?" Kakashi ignored me.

"Just as the name implies, it's a killing technique that's executed in a flash and carried out in absolute silence." I nodded energically.

"Just like now."

"I can't use my Sharingan to its full potential. Be on your guard."

"The mist is getting thicker!"

"Of course" I nodded towards Naruto. "He's depriving us from a fundamental sense: eyesight. _He's counting on that_." Of course, a ninja was relying on all his senses and trained them in every way possible. But, well, we were genin. _There's still Kakashi. A jounin._

"The Country of Waves is surrounded by the ocean, so mist often emerges." Tazuna offered.

"Yeah, well Konoha is surrounded by leaves and they often fall during autumn." I mumbled. "This is Zabuza taking full advantage of the surroundings."_ Just like a good ninja does._

"Sensei!"

Sakura's exclamation made me aware of the fact that Kakashi disappeared in the mist. _That's creepy as fuck. I can't see anything._ I needed to focus. _He's near. I feel it. _If I closed my eyes I could feel his signature chakra moving around. _That's the mist. _But…

"Eight points."

The voice boomed upon us from all around and my hand tightened on the bow and arrow. _No shaking. That's good. _Better. Than last time. I heard Tazuna's breath hitch in his throat. _I understand you pal. Me too. Me. Too. _

" Larynx. Spine. Lungs. Liver. Jugular. Vein. Collarbone. Kidney. And heart."

"Yes. We know the vital points."I spoke feeling too hyped to stay silent and earning a dark chuckle.

"Which one do you want to get struck at?"

Kakashi's chakra exploded around dissipating the mist. _MUCH better._ I was rather fast to think that. A sudden pressure hit me. All I wanted was to curl in a ball on the ground and stay there. _Bloodlust_. Slaughter. Death. Pain. Bloodbath. Death. _Death. __**DEATH**_**.** Was this killing intent? _My hands. _ They were violently shaking. _Just like last time. Fuck._ I looked at Sasuke. _Yeah. I remember this._ He was frozen, stiffen and if I could have seen his face, most likely freaked out too. So, this is what happen when two jounin want to kill each other. They first try to intimidate each other. Killing intent couldn't possibly do anything other than that… right? _This pressure._ I felt the sudden urge to throw up again. _Violently._

"Sasuke" Kakashi spoke suddenly. "Don't worry. I'll protect the four of you with my life." _What about Tazuna? _"I won't let anyone on my team die."

"I don't know about that."

Shitshitshitshitshitshitshtshtshitshit.

Zabuza was right behind us. _ I got distracted!_ We were all taken aback and I jumped away releasing the arrow just as Kakashi moved toward Zabuza. _Thank the Vala I'm not a good archer. _The arrow only grazed his head while Kakashi stabbed him in the stomach. _Did I just waste an arrow? _Out of the wound caused by Kakashi poured water. _A clone. _I smiled. _ I understand._

"Sensei! Behind you!" Naruto shouted.

Zabuza's sword cut through Kakashi with a splashing sound. Just as I thought. Another water clone. Kakashi's water clone. Well, Zabuza did say that the Sharingan copy the opponent's techniques, didn't he? I pulled out another arrow and pointed at Zabuza's head.

"Don't move." Kakashi appeared from behind Zabuza with a kunai grazing the skin of his neck. "This is the end." _If only. _

"The end?" Zabuza _laughed_. _There's only one reason why he would be so calm._"Is it, real – "

He was cut off by an arrow through his throat. The clone exploded in a splash of water and got lost in the mist, missing Kakashi by three centimeters. _Too tempting. Standing sideways and holding the kunai t his throat leaving so much space open for shooting._

"Kaya-chan!" Naruto's cry erupted before the clone dissolved into water.

Unfortunately that didn't stop Zabuza from coming behind Kakashi and trying to cut him in two. _Oh my Vala, his moves are so fluid._ Kakashi ducked while Zabuza's sword cut the air barely missing. Putting his weight in the now stuck in the ground sword, he kicked Kakashi away. _Yes_, kicked Kakashi away in air. _What the …?_

"Clever brat. But I won't be defeated with copied techniques or badly aimed arrows"

I didn't have time to pull another arrow. Zabuza came at us with such a speed I barely had time to draw a breath. _And he's carrying **that** with him as well_! Incredible. Dangerous and most likely lethal for us, but amazing all the same. Then he stopped …

"… How idiotic"

And he jumped in the river. I stood watching stupidly, dumbfounded after the missing-nin. _Why would he…?_ Something stopped him. I looked around trying to see what bough the crazy psychotic butcher knife ninja to a halt. My eyes have fallen on the little metallic _things_ on the ground. They were stuck in, cutting the way to the river. _How do you call them?_ Something from my native language.

"His hand-to-hand combat skill is superb too"

I looked to Sasuke startled. Well, at least I wasn't the only one who appreciated Zabuza's taijutsu. I nodded.

"Caltrops" I blurted out earning a puzzled look from Sasuke. "That's what stopped Zabuza."

Sasuke's eyes followed my indication and stopped on the metallic tiny pieces_. Now where is Kakashi?_ I guessed that he would take cover._ Maybe I shouldn't have shot that arrow. _I might have distracted our sensei, rather than help. _He **did** say to **not** get involved. I'm getting in trouble after all this is over._ But I couldn't stay still. We were in danger, an exiled ninja was trying to kill us and our client, and our sensei was telling us to not get involved. _Because our priority is to protect Tazuna, not to eliminate Zabuza._ Yes, but the voice in my head was screaming to eliminate any danger in order to guarantee our safety. Which was stupid. _The danger is __Gatō_. He was the Master Pupetter. Zabuza was only payed to kill Tazuna. Say that Zabuza died now – he won't due to plot line and Haku – then all Gatō has to do is find someone else to kill Tazuna. _No more stupid actions. Do what Kakashi says._ Oh. Kakashi. Said Jounin's head came to the surface of the river... just to be captured by Zabuza's jutsu. _Again_ I missed what Zabuza said.

"Water Clone Technique"

_Jutsu. With. One. Hand._ The clone appeared before us. _A nice counterattack to his water nature chakra would be lightning. _For some odd reasons I really wanted to see Zabuza biting the dust due to Chidori. _Yea, that won't happen._ And I couldn't shoot him. The clone would take the arrow and Zabuza would just create another. It wouldn't solve anything.

"The three of you have forehead protectors on as if you think yourselves ninja." the water clone spoke bringing my attention back on the fight. "But ninja refers to someone who has gone through numerous life and death situations. In other words you can call yourselves ninja when you appear in my bingo book." I snorted hard.

"A real ninja doesn't appear _in anyone's bingo book_." I said acidly. "Why would I want, as a ninja, to appear into someone's bingo book, with a full profile about my abilities and other crucial information?"

"You three aren't ninja" he replied discrediting what I said. He disappeared from my sight but the sounds that followed gave me a good idea where he went. _Naruto, huh?_

The mist shifted and Zabuza appeared stepping on Naruto's headband, while the blonde stood on the ground shaking like a rabbit. Something about that picture made me, very, _very_ angry. The water clone just stood there trying to make a point out of the fact that we are pathetic.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted.

"You're just kids."

"Everyone!" Kakashi's voice pierced through the air like a needle. "Take Tazuna-san and run! You can't win against him! He can't move as long as he has me trapped in this water prison! He also can't use his water clone if you get away from him! Run, now!"

"What kind of fucked up plan is that, Kakashi-_sensei_?" I spoke calm. _Too much panic_. "Say we let Zabuza kill you and run away… where? Whenever we go he will follow, until either he kills us and then kill Tazuna, or we give up and let him kill Tazuna. That would mean making a tradition out of letting people die in order to survive. That would make us anything but ninja indeed." I looked at Zabuza's clone. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sasuke very attentive to my speech. _ He's thinking the same thing._ That's good. As long as we worked as a team and didn't head into the fight aimlessly on our own…

…then Sasuke broke into running, throwing shuriken at Zabuza. _Idiotic duck. _Zabuza used his sword to dodge the shuriken and caught the duck midair trying to strangle him. I sighed. Oh, well. Zabuza just threw Sasuke in a random direction as if he were a rag doll. I reached for an arrow.

"You just… can't think before you act can you?"I commented when the duck grunted and shot me a death glare. Or something close to that. Well, I was sassy right now, due to stress. Funny. Not.

… something snapped within Naruto. He got us slowly, with a determined expression. His wounded hand was clutched into a fist. _Oh. Back when we were attacked_. Yeah. I remembered. His promise to protect Tazuna and to not lose to Sasuke. So, the blonde warmed up? _I sure hope so. I have no idea what to do._ I could always just accept the irony and stupidity of the situation. I would die, granted, but I would have a good laugh. I mean, how many genin teams refuse to drop a mission at least twice more dangerous than initially ranked and be surprised by the serious threat it pose to them? We should have expected this._ Well, I did but that's another thing._ Naruto started running towards the clone.

"Idiot! Stop!"

Kakashi was the voice of reason. _I think_. So obviously no one listened to him. I giggled and Tazuna stared at me astonished and almost with pity. Most likely he thought I lost it … which perhaps wasn't far from the truth. _ Just a little._

"Naruto! What are you thinking?!" Sakura said dismayed. I shook my head as the blonde was hit and sent back to our feet.

"What are you thinking charging on your own like that?" from Sakura's words I heard the frustration of not being able to actually do anything. _But should she take it out on Naruto? _"Even Sasuke-kun is no match against him." _… who charged on his own like Naruto_. "Genin like ourselves have no way of defeating him no matter what we try!"

"Look at his hand" I said exhausted and exasperated. Sakura looked at me and then at the blonde. It was _delicious _seeing Sakura's disbelieving face as the idiot got up holding his forehead protector.

"Hey… the no-brow there" I shook my head. _Only Naruto._ He was shaking but this time not out of fear but because of the sore and uncooperative battered muscles. _That must hurt. A lot_. "Put this in your bingo book…the man who will become the Hokage of the Hidden Village in Leaves one day…" He stood straight as if nothing happened and my smile widened like the Cheshire Cat. "… The Konoha-style ninja" he put his headband back, with blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Are you two done now?"I asked trying to sound bored or cold, but failed miserably as I couldn't stop smiling. _This brilliant, idiotic, inspiring, stupid, fox-like….. blonde!_ "Done charging like mad dogs on your own, I mean. Perhaps a plan or two might come handy. Any suggestions?"

"Yeah" Naruto said panting. "Sasuke, lend me your ear for a second."_ Just his ear? We're not in Hannibal._ I shook my head. Bad cannibal joke.

"What do you want?" the duck asked annoyed.

"He wants to tell you the secret recipe of the best ramen on Earth. So listen close" I said condescending. "He has a plan obviously, _idiot._" I was getting rather fed up with Mr. Attitude Duck.

"Hn. I can't believe you want to work as a team"

"Shut it Uchiha, and for once in your life go with what other people say." I talked calm looking at Naruto and putting my arrow in the bowstring. _I'm going to destroy my fingers._ The more I held an arrow in the string the more it cut my skin and flesh. _Deeper and deeper. _ I was beginning to agree with the old man at the weapon store. The string of the bow was _slightly_ more tensed then my weak arms could handle. "Go on Naruto. I'll cover you two."

He grinned at me and nodded. 'Covering' them didn't truly make any sense because I couldn't possibly help them other than keep an eye on Zabuza's clone and put an arrow between his eyes if something went wrong, but it gave the blonde the confidence that someone was approving him. Sasuke was gritting his teeth slightly, but didn't mutter a word. _So, this is the determined Naruto who thinks in battles._ I chuckled at Sasuke's expression. I nudged him just to make sure he was alive and not a stone statue too stunned to even breathe. _Cat got your tongue, Duck?_ I did not want to know what _he_ was thinking when he narrowed his eyes at me.

"Let's go wild now!"

I stepped back with Sakura protecting Tazuna. We shared a look and nodded. Protect Tazuna. Save Kakashi. Defeat Zabuza. Simple like that. Shit gets real. _The outcome of this fight is in the hands of an ADHD kid and an overconfident messed up jerk. _Yep, things are looking pretty good. Zabuza started chuckling darkly in order to intimidate us or simply because we amused him. Either way it wasn't very encouraging. _It doesn't matter._

"You seem to be pretty confident, but do you even have a chance for victory?" he said calmly and doubtful.

"What are you all doing?! I told you to run away!" Kakashi shouted determined to make us abandon the fight. "The outcome of this battle was decided when I got caught! Hurry and run! Our mission is to protect Tazuna, did you forget that?"

"Zabuza won't touch even a hair of the old man." I said moving closer with the arrow set in the string. I could tell Tazuna was watching me but I stared at the water clone. _If I could get rid of it and make an opening for these two…_ but, no. Naruto had a plan._ So wait for it._

"Little girl…"I twitched at Tazuna's appellative. "I am the one who cause all of this in the first place. I won't say that I want to survive no matter what. Sorry everyone. Fight as much as you want."

"No one dies today."I muttered. What do we say to the God of Death? _Not today._ I smiled.

"Hn. That's how it is"

"Are you ready?"

I hissed quietly and only Sakura threw me a side glance. Too much talk. Not to mention Zabuza started laughing at the two, Sasuke and Naruto._ Really laughing_.

"You don't learn, do you? Still pretending to be ninja? When I was your age, my hands were soaked with blood already."

"Ah" I said not wanting another lesson about history or any other kind of lesson to be honest. "Your exam to become a ninja? Heard of it."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked turning slightly to me.

"Only what information I could find in some restricted documents, in the library" I lied, grimacing. "Don't tell anyone that. Momochi Zabuza. No, The Demon Zabuza."

"Oh? I see you have heard of me" he looked at me with the same amusement. _He cut me off. Why everybody does that?_

"The 'final test' was … rather peculiar."

"What final test?"

"Just listen, idiot" I snapped at Naruto. "Students killing each other. Slaughter. "

"Friends who have eaten from the same pot are separated into groups and forced to fight each other until one of them is killed." Zabuza's voice was expressionless. "This is done with friends that have helped each other, shared their dreams, and competed together."

"That awful…" Sakura winced, horrified.

"He killed all his classmates" I almost spitted. "How many were there? Fifty? One hundred ? But that was years ago. They had to reformat the system in The Hidden Village in Mist."

"That was … fun."Zabuza's expression would have looked deranged if it wasn't for the mask. That didn't mean it wasn't creepy. Then he_ disappeared_.

Again, no one expected it. But this time my ninja senses tingled. _Shit. Too fast._ He went for Sasuke. He elbowed the duck in the stomach and then pinned him to the ground with another hit but stopped when an arrow grazed his arm. _A solid clone?_ Of course, he wasn't a genin. That's not good. He was already with the hand of the hilt of his sword so moving some steps further and stopping in front of me was pretty easy. I didn't even realize what happened, holding the bow up, exposing my stomach and legs because _why not_, until the huge blade cut in the space between my neck and shoulder. _So…heavy!_

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura's voice sprung in the air. A pause. "Kaya-chan!"

Ah,Sakura sorting her priorities. Sasuke got into a sitting position, wiping the blood he spit from his face, looking at Zabuza and me, horrified_._ It wasn't good he couldn't stand up yet; Zabuza was only a step away from him._ He's too close to Tazuna too._ If he got pass me and Sakura.._._ I took a kunai and tried to stab the clone as Kakashi did earlier but Zabuza expected that and went back to his spot after he messed with both me and the duck. _My hands_… they were shaking with pain from the effort of holding the sword.

"A scratch like this and you call yourself an archer?" the ridicule in his voice was meant to pick my anger as he turned his arm to see where my arrow grazed him. "There were ninja who could shoot their target from a mile away. Who had _perfect_ aim and speed. But a child half your age can pull a more decent shot than that. What are you going to do with your bow arm incapacitated?"

I clutched at my wound and my hand got sticky immediately. I hissed. Warm, sticky blood running down my entirely side and neck, fast. _Not good _I never injured myself. Or not on this level anyway. I had no problem with seeing blood. Seeing the blood of other people didn't freeze me nor was I disgusted by it. I kept a clear mind and concentrated on mending the injured. But this was _my blood_. And it was a lot of it. _ I don't want to see it._ I couldn't because I would freeze. Again._ You were afraid._ The duck's words burned in my mind as bad as the cut did. I had been reckless and _stupid_. _But bless the man at the weapon store._ He indirectly saved my life. I wanted a traditional bow, one that would be light, so carrying it with me on missions wouldn't be a struggle. I was twelve after all. But he suggested one made of metal. Which I would never be able to carry around, let alone shoot with it. The professional bows he showed me didn't encourage me either. They were huge things made out of light metals – not light enough for my liking – but elastic enough to bind with the string. In the end he understood what I was after and showed me the traditional ones. But advised me against them. Why? Because we were ninjas and wood gets cut by blades of any kind. That's why he suggested a bow built on a 15" Onyx Actionwood with red and black fiberglass accents. I had no idea what that meant until he showed me a bow with one side made out of metal.

I brushed the scratch on the upped side of the bow, where metal met metal, stopping Zabuza's sword from cutting right through me. Of course I hadn't been fast and strong enough to stop the sword completely._ This thing is HUGE. _But I already said that. I winced as my arm was going numb but the cut was hurting with a fiery pain.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Zabuza was surrounded by Naruto. Literally. All of his Shadow Clones with kunai ready to attack. _That's Naruto._ It was so weird seeing so many Narutos. I for one couldn't say which one was the real one. _Wait a second._

"Huh? Kage Bunshin no Jutsu? You replicated quite a few too." Zabuza's hand was resting on his sword yet._ That sword has my blood on it. _

"Here I come!"

All clones attacked at the same time making it impossible to see Zabuza anymore under the thick layer of Narutos. I pressured more my wound half trying to stop the bleeding and half trying to make sure I had an arm yet, because otherwise I couldn't feel it. _ But the sword didn't slip that deep into the flesh…_ did it? My worst fear was severed nerves. _ Could I be that unlucky?_ After all Zabuza _was_ a prodigy and a skilled assassin. He knew what he was doing cutting into people like this. _ Yeah. I presume he does. _Dark humor.

Zabuza cut through Naruto's clones with a large motion of the sword. Naruto went flying too, but he got something out of his bag and threw it to Sasuke._ Is this part of his plan?_ I encouraged him when he said he had one but I've been pretty skeptical even though I didn't voice it. I remember him having a plan or something that, to get Kakashi out of Zabuza's jutsu, and that's why I was so supportive, but knowing Naruto for some time now, I had my doubts.

"Sasuke!"

_The most overused word in the anime_.

Sasuke caught the object and smirked. Oh. _Oh_. A shuriken. _A shuriken_? I was bewildered. And amused. And suddenly tired_. _ Giving a shuriken to an Uchiha. _How appropriate_. It was an arm length shuriken. If I wasn't mistaken some of the shuriken used today were improved and created by the Uchiha clan, since we were a clan specialized in fighting. And weapons. And killing. And hatred. _And I'm losing a lot of blood._ My jacket was soaked with blood dripping to the ground. _Shit._ I could barely stand. _This pain… and exhaustion_. Shit.

" The Fūma Shuriken. The Shadow Windmill." Sasuke said dramatically and I rolled my eyes.

"A shuriken won't work on me. No more than an arrow did." Zabuza said but Sasuke ignored him and threw the shuriken. _ That's actually a good throw._

The shuriken went pass the water clone._ Yes, I know what happens now. _I dropped the bow and quiver to the ground along with the backpack. _ Why didn't I do that earlier?_ They were heavy. The real Zabuza caught the shuriken… and another shuriken came at him. _ Ha._ I guess he didn't hear the name of the shuriken, despise Sasuke's good intention to name it explicitly. That was the technique of the shuriken but in this _special_ case… _not quite_. Trapped between keeping Kakashi immobilized in his jutsu and holding the other shuriken, Zabuza did the only sensible thing he could do: he jumped. _Perfect_. The shuriken went towards the river and transformed into Naruto. _Bite that Zabuza._ I heard Sakura gasping in surprise. A shuriken hidden in the shadow of the shuriken. Or, Naruto hidden in the shadow of the shuriken. I chuckled delighted by everyone's reaction and my own, of course. Naruto threw a kunai towards Zabuza. Which forced him to cancel the jutsu and free Kakashi.

"Naruto!" I shouted with what strength I had yet._ I can't believe I did that._ But Zabuza was seriously enraged, since Naruto managed to free Kakashi and graze the missing-nin's face. And Zabuza had a shuriken, while Naruto was falling defenseless in the river. I knew I couldn't move my arm, let alone try and use the bow, not to mention the arrow wouldn't make it in time, but I still tried to get hold of the bow and break some nails in the process. _Shit. But he can't die. He won't die. Of course not! He's the main character! I know what happens! HE'S THE CENTER OF THIS UNIVERSE! FUCK THIS WOUND AND THE BOW_.

Zabuza never threw the shuriken. He tried but it stopped in Kakashi's hand. As in, it cut into his hand and stopped in the bone, I guessed. I have fallen on my knees at the same time the splash announced Naruto's own fall in the river.

"Kaya-chan!"

Things spinned around. But I didn't lose consciousness. I just stood on my knees and then in a sitting position on the ground._ Shit._ I held my hand in the air to stop her from approaching. Someone had to protect Tazuna at all costs. While there was Sasuke, he could be useful in battle, with me useless – I mentally hissed – Sakura had to protect Tazuna. And she did a splendid job at that. _By doing … nothing. _But I guessed it put Tazuna at ease that someone was with him permanently while someone tried to kill him. I was vaguely aware that Naruto was explaining his master plan. _Why would Zabuza wait to listen to such a thing?_ Yes it was a good and unpredictable plan, but he was an _assassin_. Payed. He should have tried to kill Tazuna at all costs and with his skill succeed as well. _Something is fishy._ My eye-lids were growing extremely heavy. _I'm bleeding to my death_.

"Sasuke, Sakura"Kakashi talked on his leveled voice._ It's nice to hear him calm and confident again._ "Take care of Tazuna-san and Kaya-chan. I'll handle things from here."

_Oh. I can finally pass out. _For a ridiculous second I wondered how to do that before _telling_ myself that people fainted spontaneously. That's what made fainting dangerous and the whole point of losing consciousness. _What the fuck am I thinking…?_ It seemed that my mind and body finally took pity on me and I lost my balance_. Sitting_ on the _ground_. _Losing _my _balance_. Someone caught me because I didn't slam on the hard surface. I didn't have even the energy to scream when my shoulder shifted. All I could say was three idiotic sentences.

"Naruto's plan… genious. … Fucking hate swords. _Ave atque Vale_."

* * *

**This chapter…. No. I feel like this entire chapter is…a failure. Of course, my intention was to write it from Kaya's inexperienced point of view. But I feel like I have exaggerated… at least a little bit. I had so little time to write it! I'm never doing such a thing again. I pushed myself to write it even if I knew I didn't have time for it. It feels…. forced. I wanted to split it in two chapters. But then I thought to leave it like this. And then I changed my mind: I didn't want to update at all! Ah, well. I'm eager to write the **_**next **_**chapter.** **Urgh! I can't say how frustrated I am with this chapter! Sadly, I doubt I can rewrite it better****. Blackenflames, thank you again for reviewing, it's such a relief to know someone is reading this ^_^ And enjoys it! ( you have no idea how HAPPY AND HIPPER I AM ABOUT THIS!) I know I promised you a surprise . It's in the next chapter, and it's about climbing *cough* Trees*cough* (though it may not be what you expect! You have been warned!). Areualicene, I am honored that I caught you attention and that you liked the previous chapter. Although… this chapter might… **_**slightly**_**…. disappoint? Also, Kaya's sass is like a protection mechanism toward what's happening to her. Her way of coping with dying and being reincarnated into an anime (and linked to the Uchiha, nonetheless!). She's... messed up. I'm glad you like her sass :)) If I had someone like her constantly around I would eventually end up trying to (and) strangle her. (Have pity on the exasperated Sasuke. :))) )**

**FSSTDYTDTDTSFDA. Enough with 'this is a bad chapter', I'm beginning to whine. Fun fact: Kaya is stubborn and hungry for getting things done. Fast. Oh, and she's really not the person to work in a team. **

**Now the bad news. My laptop is dying. I need to get it fixed and… I won't be getting it back until three week from now T_T. I will write I promise! But I won't be able to update. Also my exams start on Moday. I feel like drowning on soda TTT_TTT.**

**Catch you guys later!**


	11. Erchomai

**Chapter XI: Erchomai**

I was walking. Walking and looking around, searching for something as the dress shifted around my ankles, the hemline scratching my skin. The branches of the trees were bowing slightly as the wind blew over them and my feet were almost burning in the flat shoes. The dust raised as my steps went further. I knew this place. In front of me was a block of flats and to my right another, but it wasn't a closed area. I was coming from the direction of the line of garages that weren't in use as the people around here didn't have enough money to afford their own apartments and flats let alone cars. Behind the green fence, wild and unkempt, I knew, were the mini-gardens the people living here were trying to tend, still not used with living in the city, keeping alive even after three generation the longing for acres and countryside life.

Children were laughing and playing in this neighborhood – one of the poorest I knew – enjoying the summer day and I was sweating like a pig wondering how could they enjoy this HELL. But suddenly I was feeling cold. _I know this place._ Of course I did. I've known it since I was eleven. I could smell roses and the evening sun was sending its rays over the tall buildings, leaving the space between them shielded in shadows. _Last time I've been here, there was an ambulance and people screaming._ Last time I'd been here has been an early October when I was twelve. It was the birthday of my class mate and her grandmother was suddenly sick and they had to call an ambulance. I happened to arrive exactly when they were attending the patient. I had the present for my friend and felt extremely awkward to give it to her, given the circumstances. I just stood there and watched people fidgeting, me and the first volume of the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (English edition from a very expensive library from the other side of the city). My friend was embarrassed by the whole situation and I left promising that I would come back the next day. The people from the ambulance were trying to get her grandmother to stop shouting, saying that it was a heart problem. However, I'd heard them whispering something about 'vodka', 'heath' and 'old age'. I and Harry Potter had no place there.

I walked along the bushes and passed the first floor where she used to live. There were two kittens playing. _There were two kittens back then as well._ Yes, in one of the summers we stood here petting them. I wanted to wince at the memory. Those were painful memories, because of the child I used to be, innocent and carefree, trying to understand my friend and influence her. So innocent. Of course, after years and years I knew she's never been a normal child and that she saw the world from a radically different angle than I did. I wish I knew that then, but most likely I couldn't have helped her anyway. I was a child, a stupid and easily manipulated child, who knew nothing about _anything_, but only thought she did. _So radically different from now._ Now? When exactly was _now_?

I looked in the windows of the entrance and stared. It was me. Me, blonde, tall, with hair falling almost straight to my waist – sign of a bad hair day – in my favourite long red dress, sleeveless and summerish. I could even see a slight tan on my hands and neck. My blue eyes sparkled intensified by the vivid colour of the garden and fence. _This isn't real._ There was a painfully strong longing, at what directed I did not really know. But it was there, making my bones heavy and my blood cold. I wanted to drop down and rest there, while my mind was telling me to get out of there as soon as possible. _Yes, but where?_ My golden haired reflection scrutinized me with a calculated face almost as if she was trying to determine how to dissect me. _Yes that's me. Me in my late teens. Me just before graduation. _Was it now? Had I always been this silently-plotting-your-assassination gazing person? But now I was...

**Now. NOW.**_ I have to wake up. _Yes, because this wasn't real. _If this world isn't real, if Naruto isn't real, than what is real? _ _I can't live in two realities. _No I could't. _I am Kaya Uchiha from Konohagakure. I'm twelve. I am part of a dead clan. The Uchiha are all presumed dead with only three __**known**__ exceptions. The village killed my clan. The village? No, the Council. I am a genin and I'm on a mission, fighting Momochi Zabuza. _I tried to inhale air but something broke. Something broke _in me_.

I opened my eyes.

_What the...?_

It felt like getting out of deep water. I inhaled deeply as if I've been holding my breath until then, or I forgot to breath. Because that happened twice or thrice while I was eating ice-cream. Yeah. I have no idea how that happened. I looked around trying to recall where I was. I sighed. I knew where I was. Or at least I could assume, and judging by the surroundings...

The room I was in had the ceiling made of wood. Old and used wood, with spots of humidity. Good, I liked houses made out of wood, unlike my apartment with walls made of concrete. I was laying on a futon and I couldn't see too much around me. I tried to move and pain shot hot through my left shoulder. _Shitshitshit._ I hissed and laid back clutching at the bandaged wound. _Ah, right. Zabuza._ That son of a … I sat up slowly trying to not move my left arm. Well, this was new. My first wound in battle. I looked at the white bandage furrowing my brows_. Freshly changed. _It run from my clavicle and base of the neck to my elbow. I couldn't move my arm without causing pain so I guessed it was out of use for the meanwhile. _Oh wonderful. I wonder how long I've been out. _

I tried to get up. It was hard, without using one of my arms and there wasn't too much furniture around either, to use it and balance myself. I wondered what room was this, but judging by the look of it, most likely it was a storage room or something like that, just dusted and prepared for me. Aw. _Not only me. _There was a second futon around, so I had a roommate. By the open backpack near it I had a good idea who.

I stumbled around, in my own feet. So I've been out for at least a day or two, as my feet were weak. For the following ten or so minutes I inspected the room, stretching my legs and trying to determine the limit of usage of my left arm. There were some books and I skim over them. Cooking and herbs. Only one was a novel about a pirate but I lost my interest after two pages. It was bad written and I grimaced as I put it back on the floor.

The wooden door of the room opened and startled me. I didn't notice how quiet it has been until then and how sensitive and alert were my senses to movement and sounds. _I'm like a scared rabbit, attentive to every sound._ I could hear my heart pounding in my ears and a sudden dizziness crept in my head, making things spin around me for a second.

"Kaya-chan, you're awake!"

I moved my weight from one leg to another, making sure my balance was back and the dizziness gone, as Sakura entered the room holding bandages. I just 'hm-ed' peaking beyond her pinkish form to the other room.

"You shouldn't be standing!" she chided me lightly closing the door and I stopped her with my right hand.

"I'm fine. What happened?" I asked eyeing a little bottle Sakura was holding.

"Kakashi-sensei defeated Zabuza" from her voice I sensed a slight pride and satisfaction at that. Also, she seemed determined to explain what happened from the moment I lost conscious. "But then a masked guy came and took his body."

"A masked guy?" I inquired watching her movements, dispatching the bandages.

"Yeah, we don't exactly know who he is. Kakashi-sensei just recovered his conscious and said he's a missing-nin. Kaya-chan you shouldn't use your left arm!" she exclaimed as I gasped, forgetting about my shoulder and reaching for a book. Sakura helped me back to the futon. Keh. So pain could make you this weak.

"I see."I said as I sat down. "So now the whole team is awake. How long…?"

"You've been out for two days. Kakashi-sensei woke up yesterday, but is unable to move for long."

"Chakra exhaustion" I said. "The Sharingan would do that. How's my shoulder?"

"Eh, your shoulder" Sakura grimaced looking at the bandage as it was already tainted with red "It's a deep cut but it hasn't reached any nerve or bone. But you lost a lot of blood."_ That explains the dizziness._ "Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter, prepared this medicine" she said indicating the little bottle "for the wound."

"Hm. So this is Tazuna's house. Have you been taking care of my shoulder while I was unconscious?"

"And Tsunami" she nodded "she's good with injures, she knew exactly what to do when we brought you in."

"Thank you" I frowned not particularly ecstatic at the idea of causing a fuss over myself. "I feel as if I've been sleeping for years, or hundreds of years. With dreams haunting my sleep merciless." I grunted not really talking to Sakura or anyone in particular.

"You should eat something. The others will want to know you're awake as well. We were all worried" she frowned at me worried as if to make a point. I sniffed around and grimaced.

"I'd rather have a bath. I smell. Badly." she smiled at my conclusion.

"Yeah. You do."

Ҩ

When I finally came into the main room of the small house where Kakashi rested, it was noon. I was positive that the room I woke up in was a storage room. The house was a traditional Japanese one, or at least close to that, the passing between rooms being easily done. Kakashi was sitting on a futon like mine, while the others were watching him, most likely talking. What about, I had no idea as me and Sakura came in, he stopped in the middle of his sentence and his eye moved to us immediately.

"Kaya-chan! You are awake!"

I looked at the blonde as he turned to us and was smiling widely. I stared at him a little longer and then to the others while I run my hand through my damp hair. I identified the black haired young woman as Tsunami and then I looked at Tazuna who was more relaxed that I've ever seen him since Konoha. _Well, he's finally home and he thinks Zabuza is dead._ I didn't spare the duck even one glance because I could feel his eyes on me and I had no energy for sarcastic remarks.

"Looks like all of my dear students are here" Kakashi said and I guessed he smiled from behind his mask. _He has an expressive eye, though._

"Yeah, finally recharged my batteries after putting up one week with you lot" I mumbled earning a 'Hey!' from Naruto. "So, who's going to relate what happened after I passed out?"

Of course, the blonde exploded at that. I sat on the floor listening amused. He insisted on telling me about his plan even after I already told him twice that I was conscious when that happened. I ignored the exaggerated details about Kakashi's and Zabuza's fight. What mattered was that everything happened accordingly to what I knew or remembered happen in the original plot. I listened closely to the part when Haku came.

"And he was masked?" I asked just like before when I was only with Sakura.

"Yeah! Kakashi-sensei said he was a hunter-nin." Naruto said excited that I was paying attention to his story.

"A hunter-nin" I asked carefully, looking at the grey haired jounin to check on the information's veridicity "as in those nins that dispose of the body on spot? You said he took Zabuza's body and disappeared."

"That is true" Kakashi said "All he needed to do was to bring back the head as proof. Also" he continued adopting a thinking stance "the weapon that boy used to kill Zabuza is questionable."

"What weapon?" I asked not really clueless.

"It was just long needles" Sasuke answered my question and then he looked at me in sudden realization.

"As in senbon needles?" I asked again almost smiling at the petrified duck.

"What are you guys talking about?" Tazuna inquired not understanding my hints or the logical thread me, Kakashi and Sasuke were following.

"Could it be…?"

"Yeah, it's just what you think" Kakashi confirmed Sasuke's and my suspicions. I sighed running my fingers again through my hair. "Zabuza is alive"

"_Wonderful_." I said through clenched teeth.

"WHAT?!"

I snickered at Sakura's, Naruto's and Tazuna's indignation. _As if it would have been that easily._ But seriously, they couldn't have seen that coming? Again I had the feeling that I had no idea what I was doing. If I remembered correctly, Haku and Zabuza die at the end of all this. And just like before, I was hit by the realization that they weren't the enemy but Gatō was. _Hm, interesting._ But hadn't I already decided to see that things go smoothly _according _to the original plot of the manga and anime, in order to assure the stability of the future I knew would come? But... that was in contradiction with my existence in this world. _So many dreams..._ I shook my head. I was feeling as if I was deep under the water and the others were far away, talking on the surface. _ I should wake up. For good._

"Maybe you're thinking too much"

"NO" I said contradicting Tazuna and earning a look from him. "These are facts. The missing nin used senbon needles, to bring Zabuza to a near death state. Confirmed by Kakashi. And then he took the body with him so he could remove the needles. There's no doubt. There _is_ the possibility that we are wrong, but it's slim." I looked at Kakashi. "Won't Zabuza be incapacitated as well?"

"He will" Kakashi agreed and then frowned. "Once a ninja feels there's something weird, he must prepare for it before it's too late. It's one of the shinobi's iron rules. Kaya is right."

_He and the duck like learning things by heart. And Sakura. _Or memorize them, but I couldn't disagree with him. In the shinobi world you needed four sets of eyes, eight senses and 9 lives to survive. Or Hatake Kakashi as your sensei. I looked at the grey haired shinobi and wondered what possessed him to take a genin team. He was a jounin, yes, but as an individual I didn't see him particularly fond of people. But, he cared about his village and the greater good, I supposed. And after all that happened… I guessed remaining an ANBU wouldn't help him or others, not more than actually forming new cute genin as us. _Oh, joy._

"Sensei, how are you going to prepare for this before it's too late? You can't move for a while…" Sakura asked eyeing the jounin with doubt since he couldn't even stand for extended periods of time. _Thinking about it neither can I._ I almost fainted twice, and only once was Sakura there to steady me. _And help me get dressed._ I didn't protest, although I did clench my teeth, annoyed by my inability to use both my arms.

_And to think that out of the nine, she is the most annoying in my cards…_ Alongside Ino, of course. I sighed, because despite that, I still owed her for helping me and not complaining even once. _As long as we don't turn into Frodo and Sam, we're good. _Because I doubted the pinkie could carry me on her back. _Yeah, I'm both taller and heavier than her. _I hid a smile and wondered how many people were out there, making themselves laugh internally. _What the fuck brain?_ Kakashi's laugh caught me off guard because it was genuine, yes a little creepy because Kakashi wasn't the most easy to amuse person, but it was promising _something._

"I'm going to make all of you go through some training"

"Finally" I approved smirking and the duck seemed to be agreeing.

"Wait, even if we train, it's not going to be very helpful!" Sakura started. "Since the enemy is someone that you, Kakashi-sensei with your Sharingan , had a difficult time with." by the end of her protest, her cheeks were flushed due to her _impeccable_ logic.

"Gee Sakura. Because the rest of us four are _absolutely useless_" I shot her a glare and rolled my eyes, but she didn't have time to reply.

"Sakura, who saved me when I had a difficult time?" Kakashi asked not really waiting for an answer, _which I was prepared to give, of course_ "You four are growing at a rapid rate. Especially you, Naruto. You've grown the most."

_Was that a compliment?_ Not only for Naruto, but to all of us. _Although Naruto takes the cake for that plan._ And Sasuke for catching on so fast and going with it. And me for… letting my guard down and surviving a wound I acquired due to my own stupidity? _That doesn't sound good. _Because it wasn't.

"You know your stuff, Kakashi-sensei. Now things are getting interesting!" Naruto smiled determined and excited. _Verbal encouragement and acknowledgment boasts the blonde's self – esteem and disposition: noted._ Because for some, _like me for example_, that didn't do shit for my disposition. I still wanted to curl back in the futon and sleep.

"No, it's not."

_Huh? _We all turned to the source of the earlier sentence. _Why couldn't I have woken seven hours later?_ The small child with the fishing hat couldn't be anyone else than Tazuna's grandson, Inari. I sighed deeply, because if my regular headaches would have a visible form, it would be _this_.

" Huh, who are you?" Naruto asked bluntly but the boy's eyes were glued to Tazuna.

"Inari! Where were you?" Tazuna asked opening his arms and the boy ignored Naruto's question and passed us as if we were even there, embracing his grandfather. _Oh, my_.

"I'm home, grandpa"

"Inari, say 'Hello'. These are the ninja that escorted grandpa!" Tsunami scolded slightly. I smiled at the familial picture, kind of nostalgic and, well sad. _You can't miss and feel nostalgic about something you never had._ I said this once, to my bestfriend. But of course that didn't mean we don't anyway. But instead of feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, I could feel my stomach and bones heavier with two kilos or so. _Just like in my dream._

"It's ok, right Inari? Tazuna laughed still petting the boy's head.

"Mom, they're going to die. There's no way a person can win against Gatō" Inari turned to Tsunami and spoke with the same determination Sakura spited facts.

"What did you say, brat?!" Naruto jumped on his feet as if the floor was suddenly made out of lava. "Listen up, I'm a hero, that's going to become a great ninja, known as the Hokage." _This is amusing. _

"A Hero?" Inari said on a flat tone. "How stupid. There's no such thing as hero." _Well, we agree on something._

"Wha… What did you say?!" Naruto took some steps further before an annoyed Sakura stopped him.

"Stop it, idiot!"

"If you don't want to die, you should go home"

I watched Inari walk away, pretty content with condemning us to an inevitable death. Ha. _That child…_ Well, thankfully this mission has been give to team 7, because I doubted anyone else could have changed Inari's perception of heroes and life per general. _That face expression though. _Empty.

"That child is more depressive, mean _and_ arrogant than you" I told Sasuke earning a glare, of course.

"Where are you going Inari?" Tazuna asked, hoping perhaps that his grandchild would spend some time with him, now that he was back.

"I'll go watch the ocean."

_Short reply. _He closed the sliding doors – which I learnt, were called 'shōji' (and refused to refer to them as that) – and his paces died fast as he distanced himself from the room. The whole atmosphere, changed drastically, perplexity coming from us and sadness and slight embarrassment coming from Tsunami and Tazuna.

"I'm sorry" the latter excused his grandchild.

Naruto stopped fidgeting and Sakura let go of him but then he started walking again. I stopped Sakura grabbing her forearm, the movement itself making me cringe because of the sudden twist of my body. I shook my head. She looked at me confused but didn't press and further.

"Kakashi-sensei, didn't you say something about training?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"Yes, we should wait for Naruto, but until then" Kakashi said "Tsunami-san do you happen to have crutches?"

Ҩ

The weather in the Land of Waves was no better than Konoha. The sun was just as shinny and burning up in the unblemished blue sky, no cloud in sight, like a mirror of ozone. The humidity made the strands of my braid stick in ringlets to my neck. It was annoying enough that my shoulder was stinging beneath the bandage. Tsunami had been kind enough to change the bandage on my arm before following the others in this godforsaken forest. The only difference between Konoha's warm and humid climate and the Lands of Waves was perhaps the fact that the wind seemed to be cooler here and even more humid. _Must be the ocean._

"Kaya, are you sure you are fine enough to partake in the training?" Kakashi asked the third time in fifteen minutes.

"I'm fine" I rolled my eyes. _He can't even walk without crutches._ It took us fairly more time to get here since Kakashi was jumping kind of and I was careful to not move my shoulder by mistake and end up screaming in pain. Because it hurt like a bitch. _Who knew that I use my shoulder this much?_ I never paid attention to my movements like this until now.

"Well, then" Kakashi sighed displeased by my stubbornness "We will now begin the training."

Naruto's eyes lit up like candles on Christmas. Well, I could relate to him. Even Sakura was excited about our first proper training, if you didn't count the surviving test as training of course, but that wasn't exactly what you would call traditional training. _Somehow I doubt that any kind of traditional training will work for us._ I looked at the duck. _The same inexpressive face._ It was unsettling thinking of people not giving away emotions when you look at them. Usually the first emotion that you feel can be seen in your eyes. Eyes are traitorous. It can be read just like a book, with only one attentive glance. I was amusing myself by 'reading' people a couple of years ago. Because I was trying to be one with the background so many years, I observed people from distance. _But…._ I looked at Sasuke. Ha. Here's a challenge.

"But before that," I snapped out of my thoughts hearing Kakashi's voice. "let me once again talk about Chakra, the base of any ninja ability."

"At a time like this…?" Sasuke asked with a tinge of annoyance and impatience, I guessed._ Nah, duck. I need that explanation_

"I already know about that" Naruto declared joining his complaints with the Duck's. I sighed. "Chakra, right?"

"Yes, chakra" Kakashi said impersonating Naruto's voice only that spookier and raspier which made the blonde flinch in confusion. "Sakura, please."

"Listen, Naruto. I'm going to explain this in a simple manner so you can understand and to save time." Sakura said resting her hand on her hips. _ Why? Because I and the duck are experts when it comes to chakra?_

"Vala, are you two allied against the poor blonde? His pride and self-esteem will suffer if you keep up like this and the results are prone to be bad, you know?" I said as a matter of fact.

"Kaya, I think you should listen close too" Kakashi said with a smile beneath his mask. _Why …!_ "Go one Sakura."

"Chakra is the energy that a ninja needs to use in order to perform a technique." the pink haired kunoichi explained. "This energy comes from the _body_ energy that is collected from every cell in the body and from the _spirit_ energy that comes from training and experience. In other words, techniques come from these two energies that are squeezed out of the body and molded together. This process is known as chakra molding. And with this chakra, one is able to perform a technique by forming a seal."

I stared at Sakura. _What the…?_

"Correct" Kakashi approved and a very proud Sakura looked at the jounin very pleased with herself. "Iruka-sensei was blessed with a very gifted student I see."

I was to appalled to actually make a witty remark, still fixing the smiling pinkie and Kakashi. _Why, just why would one bother to memorize chunks of information that are intuitive and can be deduced very easily?_

"What's with that?" Naruto asked rather annoyed "You can learn that with your body even if you don't understand the hard stuff."

"Exactly what Naruto said" Sasuke _surprisingly_ agreed. "We're able to use techniques anyway."

"_No_" I said as the Uchiha stopped talking. "No, you have to understand a concept so you can apply it in a practical way. And efficiently. But," I looked at Sakura and from her expression, my stare was making her very uncomfortable."_ you memorized the bloody definition word by word?_" I winced at the end as if the very idea was outrageous. "_**Why?**__"_

I shook my head then peaked at the pinkie. _Is she embarrassed already? _Sakura's eyes met the ground with a strong determination to not look up, a slight blush marking the reaction I was anticipating. I grinned at her, satisfied with my result. _ I am a bad person. A very bad person. _She narrowed her eyes at me. _Yeah._

"You guys are not able to use your chakra completely." Kakashi stated calmly. Both the blond and the duck looked at him surprised and I sighed again exasperated by their overconfidence and arrogance to believe that being a genin, was one of the best rank a ninja could accomplish. _If I could facepalm…._ But I couldn't as my shoulder was stinging from the solution Tsunami applied to the cut. _ Urgh. That cut. _ I refused to look at it, out of pure cowardice. I didn't want to see it, as long as there was someone around to bandage it.

"Just listen up." Kakashi said still calm. "Like Sakura said, molding chakra means to extract the energies from both the body and spirit and mixing them in your body. And the type of each energy will differ from the type of technique you wish to execute. In other words, the mixing will be different."

_He's talking about elemental chakra? _ Or nature transformation, to be more exactly. Which meant, if I remembered correctly, molding and defining of chakra into an innate kind of chakra nature, altering its properties and characteristics for use in techniques. _ Ha, if Sakura would have heard this._ Yeah, but she couldn't because she can't read minds. _ Rude, mind. Shockingly rude._

"You are not able to use your chakra effectively." The grey jounin concluded. "Even if you can mold a large amount of chakra, if you can't control the balance, your technique will be half as effective or not executed at all. Wasting energy will result in weakness and not being able to fight for a long time."

"So what should I do?" Naruto inquired confused. _Well, Naruto, we're not here to admire the little hatching ants and the growing grass, are we?_

"You're going to learn how to control it with your body." Kakashi answered serious. "You must go through rigorous training where you put your life on the line." I rolled my eyes at that. "I see you already don't take it as seriously as you should"

"Ok, ok, you're right." I held my arms in front of me instinctively which made me gasp out in pain and clutch to my shoulder. But I straighten fast enough to, well, _try_ and show the others that nothing happened.

"Kaya-chan, maybe you should rest and wait for the wound to heal." Sakura said and Naruto nodded his head to my left while I took the liberty to ignore both of them. "What are we going to do, sensei?"

"Tree climbing"

"Tree climbing?!"

"Shh, Naruto, you'll disturb the squirrels. "

"What squirrels?!" he turned to me and then around to see the said squirrels.

"Cannibal, blood thirsty and psychopathic squirrels" I explained nodding my head absently. "They may be in the league with the ducks."

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked monotonously and I noted that today he was in a talkative mood.

"Oh, don't worry, they won't come after you. They consider you family. The depressed _and __megalomaniac_ little duckling."

"_What…"  
_"Tree climbing, that's right." Kakashi spoke loudly, cutting us off abruptly. "But it's not ordinary tree climbing. You're going to climb trees without hands."

"Huh? How do we do that?" Sakura asked.

"Sounds good to me" I smiled sheepish.

"Yeah, but_, how are we going_ to do that?"

"Just watch." Kakashi interrupted yet another round of nonsense.

The grey jounin let the crutches support his weight in order to free his arms and form a basic seal. Then he took the crutches once again and walked over to the nearest tree. Then he stepped on the tree. And start walking. Up the tree. With the wooden crutches. I was mindfucked. I just watched Kakashi ascend step by step, up the tree. _It's …. He's… impossible… _Yet. It was chakra. I couldn't deny its existence. I did try to access it and it felt _weird _at first. To feel something like a web of strings beneath my skin embedded in my flesh and bones…

"He's climbing…"Naruto said perplexed.

"…vertically with just his legs." Sakura finished the sentence.

Kakashi walked slowly until he was standing upside down reminding me too much of Zabuza when he tried to decapitate us with that ridiculously massive sword. _But …. How are the crutches not falling?_ Was Kakashi holding them in place or…? _ He channeled chakra in them. _ It was impossible to keep them upside down like that. It was against gravity, for Vala's sake! _This is….. __**interesting**__._ I started grinning madly. _I have… __**IDEAS**__._

"This is how." Kakashi said with the same characteristically calm. "Gather your chakra at the bottom of your feet and make it attached to the tree trunk. Something like this is possible if you use chakra."

"Wait, how can we become strong by doing that?" Sakura inquired recovering from the initial shock of the situation.

"Ah. Now we get to the main topic. The main purpose of this training is to accumulate the right amount of molded chakra in the right location." Kakashi explained still attached upside down to the branch. "This is difficult even for a well-trained ninja. The amount used to this tree climbing exercise is quite subtle. And the most difficult place to concentrate chakra is said to be behind the feet. In other words, if you are able to master this, you can learn any technique."

"So, mastering this will give us the _potential_ to learn any technique." I corrected just to make things clear… and because I was too distracted to make any jokes. _He's sitting upside down. Attached to a branch. Walking with the help of crutches_.

"Yes, in theory, that's it." Kakashi nodded. "The second purpose is to maintain the molded chakra. "Most of the time, ninja mold their chakra during the battle. In such a situation, it's even more difficult to maintain that chakra. Well, it isn't like anything is going to happen if I continue with this lecture." he shot me a semi-glare as I've been yawning the fifth time. "It's your turn to try" he threw four kunai, one for each of us in front of our feet. "Use that kunai to mark where you are able to climb up to with your current ability. You aren't good enough to climb by walking so run to give yourself a boost, and get used to it. Got it?"

I reached for the kunai in front of me, careful not to move my left shoulder. _Run…?_ I touched the point of the kunai with my thumb but careful to not pierce the skin. _Hm…._ I knew the whole scene from the anime, of course, but I always thought that running up the tree wasn't helping. It was energy draining if not something else. _Also…_

"This training is too easy for me!" Naruto exclaimed suddenly and I winced feeling a trace of warm blood coming from my thumb. Damn. "Since I'm the guy who is growing the most right now!"

"Don't shout Naruto. Squirrels." I said cuttingly as I was trying to determine how to climb that tree without using my arm, whether by running or trying to keep my balance. _No that isn't an option._

"Hn" Sasuke agreed with my disapproval of the blonde's bragging.

"Okay, be quiet. Try and climb up any of the trees."

_Hm… _Funny how the four of us took the same stance and formed the seal almost at the same time. _Guess all of us are excited about training after all. _ Gathering chakra in our feet. My shoulder was burning slightly due to the fact that I was using both my arms for the seal. _Focus on chakra._ Right. It was a warm feeling. Chakra. I tried this before. Truly, but just the fact that I understood it made the difference. I closed my eyes and let the feeling of warmth cover my legs and feet. It was like a second pair of veins. _Ah_. _I see_. I heard the others. Running. _Hm…_

Naruto run determined to the tree and … after one step fell backwards on his head. _ That must have hurt._ He used a small amount of chakra. _Too weak. The chakra_._ But._ I looked at Sasuke his first attempt much better than Naruto's. However, there was a mark, of his foot embedded in the tree trunk. _Too strong. Too much chakra._ So, as Kakashi said, we must find the balance and _maintain_ it.

"This is easier than I thought."

_Sakura. _ I looked at the pinkie sitting on a high branch of the tree she chose and smiling down at us, _peasants_. I smirked. Of course. Best at controlling chakra. However…

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted delighted. _ Right. Having a crush. _I sighed.

" Oh? It looks like the one who is the best at controlling her chakra is Sakura." Kakashi said.

"Wow, Sakura-chan! That's something I expected from the girl I have high hopes from!"

"Naruto, put pressure on you head bump, or it's going to get even bigger." I said cutting off his attempt to flatter Sakura.

"Damn it." Sasuke said openly annoyed that Sakura out of all people, beat him at this. This, of course, deflated Sakuras good mood.

"Your knowledge of chakra was splendid, your stamina and control are good as well" Kakashi complimented smiling at his student. "Maybe Sakura, and not someone else, is the closest one to becoming a Hokage right now." _Ah._ "The Uchiha clan isn't as great as I thought either."

"Sorry, Kakashi-_sensei_" I shrugged my shoulders and I heard Sasuke gritting his teeth. "But I'm afraid I can't run. Not with my shoulder in this state."

"Ah, Kaya-_chan_, that's alr-…"

I paid no attention to the jounin. Actually, I paid no attention to anything but the tree in front of me as I put my feet on its trunk, vertically. Then I started to climb. _To walk_. Not run, but walk calmly just like Kakashi did. Just like a _jounin_ did. I made no rush for it, just concentrating myself on the trunk and not looking around because that would have made me nauseous. But I was climbing, or walking more like it, careful to not move my shoulder instinctively to balance myself. But, no. I had perfect control over my balance. _I have perfect control over __**everything**__._ I could laugh in delight, but I didn't. _Nah, not cool._ _Higher, I must go higher_. And I did. I raised my right hand to get the branches out of my way. _Can I make it to the top…?_ I stopped thinking. I vaguely heard my name. I brushed it off. _No. I'm not coming down._ I just relied on the warm sensation in my feet. And in my legs. It was incredible. I sped up my pace but only slightly. The branches were many, even if I was trying to get the little ones out of my way. That's when I started walking on the prominent ones. But then those turned to little ones as well. The crown of this tree was rich, perfect for hiding. The branches strong and the leaves big and longer than I first thought. Then, in that rich green and brown, I could see the sky. _Oh Vala._ I surfaced only by half. There wasn't any branch strong and high enough to keep me perfectly on top of the tree. And I wasn't trusting my chakra control that much to actually stay on top. I was aware that I could reach my limit any time and I had a wounded shoulder. The view, however… was breathtaking. I loved climbing trees. I L.O.V.E.D. IT. And here I was watching from one of the tallest trees, the houses and the forest. It may not have been one of the highest trees, but in that moment for _me_ it was. And around as I looked, was a sea of leaves and wind, rustling and murmuring. I could see the ocean, moaning softly and the gulls wailing. And the bridge, of course. It would have be impossible to miss it since it was HUGE. _So that's what we're fighting for._ The wind brought sights of the waves. I could see Tazuna's home as well, if I tried hard enough. _ I feel like Bilbo._ Yes. In the movies, in Mirkwood. _ That's how I'm calling this forest. I don't give two shits about how the local people call it._ I inhaled deeply. Walking up here, this high, I felt like holding my breath, with my heart pounding in my ears. Now? Now I could jump up and down. Without realizing I raised my left shoulder and I trembled on the branch due to the sharp pain, dangerously close to losing my balance. But I regained it quickly. Nah this moment was _my_ moment. Or a moment for myself. No... other person but me. The only regret I had was that it wasn't sunset. That way things would have been much richer in colour. Right now, everything had a tinge of gold, because the sun was high in the sky._ I should go back. I should come down from the tree. _But I didn't want it. With a last look I reluctantly turned towards the mass of branches. Descending was easier, though it shouldn't have been. I once again muted every thought and moved carefully not to make sudden moves. I looked at a more voluminous branch and I experimentally turned upside down on it and stood like that watching the others. _This is madness. _ Yes it was. But this was the shinobi world so fuck gravity laws.

"Sakura's right. It's rather easy."

"That is SO AWESOME KAYA-CHAN!"

I couldn't stop a little smile that sprung up my face. Let's face it. I just used chakra. Quite efficiently and did something that a genin shouldn't be able to at this level. Yes, I was proud of myself. Not to mention I had a nasty wound and was in constant pain. _ I should stop congratulating myself._ Yeah, I s_hould._

"Good job, Kaya." Kakashi said smiling. _Ha_. I nodded and stabbed the branch with the kunai just to mark my accomplishment and started descending. I could already feel my control escaping me, and I didn't want to shadow my victory over chakra control with a bad fall from a high branch. Eventually opening my wound as well. _Nope._

I returned to the earth with small paces and the Duck still had a dumbfounded expression. Ah. The poor Uchiha. Well, the truth was I had a better experience when it came to concentrating on a task. I wasn't a twelve years old, learning to focus on one thing. I was an eighteen old person with other twelve to add to that. The Uchiha was still staring until I decided that it was just too unnerving.

"Uchiha are very good at chakra control." I said happily.

"So I have heard." Kakashi encouraged my teasing.

"Shut up Sensei!" Sakura snapped not at all happy with the growing annoyance of her precious Sasgay.

"Alright!" Naruto exclaimed with the kunai in his hand. "I'm going to catch up to Sasuke first!"

I smiled at the blonde and the Uchiha as they sent each other glares. Ha. Competition, much? I sighed and massaged my shoulder hissing at the pain that rose. _How am I supposed to shoot arrows with this?!_ Ah, well.

"Kakashiiiiii?"

"What is it Kaya?"

"May I continue training… just not tree climbing?"

Pause.

"As long as it is in close range to the others. I have only one eye to spare, for now."

I smiled widely.

"Yes, _sensei_."

_Back in business._

* * *

**So…. One month? Yeah. Life happened. Never let life happen. But I am much like Kaya : I'm back in business ^_^. I can't promise that the next update will come soon though. I still have two exams, the hardest of them all. And… I'm not one of the brightest students. **

**I would like to thank you all for the reviews! I love criticism… No, actually, I don't but it's helping me improve my writing and improvement I DO like. Hm. **

**Alyce DreamEater****, thank you for bringing this into my attention. I did read the whole fanfic again and I've tried to correct the mistakes. My laptop is just… uncooperative. No, I do not have a Beta. I know some (all?) writers have one, but… I have no idea how? (socially and virtually awkward penguin is awkward) I did notice the missing words. It's strange, it happens when I update. Weird. I'll try paying more attention when I update and read the chapter twice. And as for 'Heath'… I did NOT notice. Honestly, it's an old bad habit from an English teacher. I will hunt down that word in the chapters. (After I'm done with my exams... my life is a nightmare T_T. Sorry for whining.) Thank you again for telling me. Also I'm sorry for the hard time those mistakes gave you. You'll have to be patient with me. If you can and have the disposition to. (see awkward penguin. I swear I'm trying to be nice with people and it turns out cold or mean) I'll try to update during the day and not late at night (early in the morning?), because me and lack of sleep are not compatible. ('Zabuza' in place of 'Tazuna'? I KNEW something like this was bound to happen. I'll correct the last 4 chapters in the following days, as much as I can and my English permit me to. Promise.)**

**Kitsu****, thank you very much! And I am, as well, glad that you enjoyed my story ^_^. Thank you so much for reading**

**Blackenflames, ****TA-DA! Tree climbing O_O. yay. Kaya is weird sometimes but I hope you are satisfied with this scene, I know you were looking forward to it ;) Ah and Kaya IS better than Sakura at chakra control but not (in the future) at medical jutsu. ehehehe future joke :). I'm trying to maintain a balance with Kaya's abilities. But if I say more… it wouldn't be a surprise anymore. **

**areualicene, **** everything you pointed out has been troubling me since chapter two. Because I realized it's impossible when you introduce an OC to have everything go cannon. Kaya is trying or more exactly **_**hoping**_** that things go just as she know they should go because that's the only thing that gives her a sense of safety. The fact that she knows what will happen. And she does. And things are cannon. Until they aren't anymore. Can't say more than this. Also, my point with this story isn't another OC in the anime. It's a person denying its own existence . In any world. This or that. Because can any person truly define who they are and what they are? Kaya can't. She's still denying this world. And ours. And any other world. There's a major conflict inside her, which she's ignoring by concentrating on team 7 and well… Naruto universe. For now.(writing from Kaya's point of view is… very autistic but not really. It's… weird. O_O)**

**alice, I will have to disappoint you. I don't speak French (please tell me it's French because otherwise this is very awkward). I mean, I do speak French, but it's even worse than my English. ( google translate says : 'and suddenly she has the Sharingan'. If that's the case, than no****. Kaya does not have the Sharingan****. Or to be more specifically, she hasn't awaken it. Although, she could have awaken it without realizing. So…. it's a mystery. ^_^ What the story tells us until this point, is that she hasn't awaken the Sharingan, she doesn't know she awaken the Sharingan, or she doesn't have the Sharingan. I never explicitly wrote in any chapter that Kaya is even an Uchiha. That again neither have I wrote that she isn't. If your review says something different, then ignore this completely. Thanks for the review! ^_^ and that you read what I write) **

**Long author's note is long. I hope I have answered your dilemmas dear reviewers and readers and that you will excuse my mistakes/misspells/missing words/weird expressions that make no sense. Some are intentional (who makes intentional mistakes when writing? Someone who's character isn't English native speaker). Some aren't (and that's bad). I'll try to be more attentive. I promise. But that after my exams. Thank you very much for reading and reviewing. Please continue to do so and help me improve my writing and boost my self-esteem ^_^(wait…**_**what?**_**) **

**Catch you later!**

**PS: Next chapter resolves around two black haired Uchiha genin. ;) (I really hope I'll update soon) **


	12. Never tickle a sleeping dragon

**Chapter XII: Draco Nunquam Dormiens Titillandus**

I looked at the head of the arrow in pure frustration. My patience was running rather thin and time was slipping through my fingers. _I can't afford to lose light._ I looked around at the shadows sent on the humid ground and grass. After hours in the forest I got used to the humidity. There was heat too, but it wasn't bothering me anymore, as the wind was blowing in the leaves above me.

My frustration persisted. _Why can't I do this? _Climbing that tree has been a piece of cake. _Oh, what arrogance._ Or at least, I've been capable of concentrating _precisely_ the amount of chakra to climb to the top and back down without exhausting myself. _Then why…?_ I looked at the three, who were panting and covered in scratches. Naruto has fallen once again with no sight of improvement, but he was the least exhausted. He had _that_ much stamina, and it scared me. Truly. Sasuke watched the blonde fall then walk to Sakura, thinking probably the same. How much could Naruto keep up wasting chakra like that? Sakura was faring the worst, too tired to even move from the ground. She had incredible control over her chakra, but she reached her limit rather fast. _And here I am._

The blonde started whispering to Sakura and Kakashi was observing his students patiently. And here I was. I looked back at my arrow and closed my eyes. Funny how closing your eyes gives you the impression that you can concentrate better. Just like before, I accessed my chakra and channeled through my hands and stretched it to the arrow. My fingers were acting as a conductor of chakra and I wrapped it around the wood and fiber of metal almost reaching the point. _This time it will work._ And… it didn't.

"For fuck's sake." I whispered a little too loud as Kakashi turned to me. _I hope he didn't understand what I said. _Because he did _heard_ me, but If I was lucky he didn't catch what I've said. I've never swore while being with the others, due to the fact that I considered it suspicious. I was only a kid after all.

"Kaya, why don't you and Sakura go to the bridge to watch over Tazuna?" Kakashi said and the pinkie looked at me with enthusiasm. "Sakura got the hang of this training and you don't look like you're making any progress with what you're doing."

_Thank you, Kakashi. You're too kind._ I narrowed my eyes at the grey haired jounin. He must have known what I was doing after sometime. It wasn't as if I was hiding or anything as I was staring at an arrow for hours now. I couldn't use my arm because of the constant pain flowing from it at every move I made, so I settled on trying to channel chakra into things, more specifically arrows. And I failed. Miserably. _But I don't want to break the arrow._ Or to crack it. So I was using a small amount of chakra. Too small. I tried dosing my chakra, but I was perhaps too careful, because I was making no progress. I could not wrap my chakra around the arrow completely, but I didn't have the heart to use too much chakra and loose yet another arrow. _I should use sticks. Branches. Something close to an arrow. _I put the arrow back in the quiver and nodded at Kakashi. I looked at the exhausted pinkie, covered in scratches and reminded myself that we skipped lunch hours ago.

"But I need to redress my wound" I said and looked at the bloodied bandage. "We'll stop at Tsunami and then go to the bridge."

"Hey, Sakura-chan, Kaya-chan" _I never understood why he feels the need to call us by our names every time. _ The blonde looked at us smiling. "If the freaky guy from the Mist returns or anything happens announce us! I'll come and-"

"IDIOT!" Sakuras fist landed on his head leaving yet another rosy bump on Naruto's head. "We are kunoichi! We are shinobi as well and we know how to handle ourselves. Hmpf!"

"Nee, Sakura-chan…"

"Sakura, stop giving Naruto concussions, I have a bloody problem here" I said pointing at my left shoulder which looked rather bad. "Literally. And by the way, I doubt Zabuza will have recovered so soon. We should be just fine."

"Hn. You shouldn't have come to train." The duckling eyed my shoulder. "Not until you could use both your arms."

"Don't you have a tree to climb, or something Uchiha?"

"Ok" Kakashi said with his hands up. "You two get back to training. Kaya, Sakura keep an eye on the bridge. We don't know when Zabuza will come back."

We both nodded, Sakura getting closer to my shoulder to inspect it. _Nothing weird at all_. I ignored her waving her hands off.

"Tsunami will know what to do."

Ҩ

_I swear to the Valar I'm going nuts._ Now I was staring at a stick. I pushed aside some strands of hair that were getting in my eyes. I never got to cut it and when I remembered that I intended to, I discovered I couldn't use my left arm. And I didn't trust either Sakura or Tsunami with the task. There was enough noise around me to aggravate my annoyance, but I blocked all of my surroundings determined to focus only on the damned stick. Sakura didn't seem bothered by the constant noise the construction of the bridge provided, yawning and stretching. She was bored beyond measure as she tried and failed to carry on a conversation with me. She figured I wasn't in the mood to small talk when it took me several minutes to answer a simple question about the weather. I looked at the broken stick with dissatisfaction. The pinkie didn't question what I was doing but I knew the curiosity burned her. _Too much chakra. _I threw the stick in the water and took another. It wasn't as if I had a pile of sticks tightly wrapped near my left calf. _And I don't lack the time either. _

"You look pretty bored with yourself."

Tazuna passed us with a piece of metal on his shoulder, trading his hat for a working helmet. I watched him as he directed his observation to a yawning Sakura. She was in a rather lazy mood. I agreed with her. After we had lunch with Tsunami and re-bandaged my wound, a nap would have been very much welcomed. But here we were watching the villages working on the bridge. It was impressive how far they've got and the bridge itself was a monstrous construction of metal and concrete. _I have become very easy to impress._ Well, not really.

"Where are the blonde kid and the arrogant one?" Tazuna asked with a detached curiosity.

"They're training with a climbing three exercise" Sakura answered happy to talk with someone.

"What about you?"

"I'm smart, so Kakashi-sensei told me to guard you."

"Really?" Tazuna wasn't convinced by Sakura's argument and I snickered at the fuming pinkie. "And you? Why did Kakashi send you to guard me?"

"Ah, I'm here only because I can't do anything else at the moment." I said referencing at my wound, but didn't point out that I was still training while guarding. He eyed me suspiciously but said nothing.

"May I have a word with you, Tazuna?"

A man approached Tazuna with a rather awkward expression. Tazuna was a nice guy when not calling us brats and doubting our competence when it came to guarding him, and what the man wanted to tell him wasn't one of the nicest things. I looked around and observed that other ears were listening. _Damn cowards._

"What is it, Giichi?" Tazuna turned eager to hear him.

"Well, after thinking about it… Can I quit the bridge building?"

"W-Why all of the sudden?! Not you too…" Tazuna's exclamation could be heard from across the unfinished bridge.

"Tazuna, I've known you for a long time. I want to help, but if I get too involved, Gatō will come after me too. Everything will lose meaning if you die, why don't we stop building this bridge?"

"I can't do that."

Tazuna's voice was firm. _He anticipated this._ Well, I guessed everyone did. With Gatō so determined to stop the bridge from being completed. The Land of Waves had no military force, but its villagers, which were not specialized in fighting or any activity other than fishing, selling and perhaps agronomy. The village was poor and lacking independence when it came to commercial domain, this is why they started building the bridge. Whatever independence they wanted to grain, Gatō wanted to seize it. And the people were afraid, their confidence a fickle thing. Giichi wasn't the first one to give up, hence Tazuna's surprised face, though he understood the situation all too well._ I hope I'm not giving Tazuna too much credit for being smart._

"This bridge is _our_ bridge." He said his voice determined. "This is the bridge that we've been building with the people from the town in the hopes that distribution and transportation will increase to this poor Country of Waves, which possesses few resources."

"But if we die…" Giichi insisted.

"It's already been lunch" Tazuna offered walking pass Giichi without looking at him. "Let's stop for now."

"Tazuna!"

"Giichi, you don't have to come anymore."

_Urgh. That look._ I doubted Tazuna didn't understand Giichi. He did and it upset him. Because Giichi was right and at the same time, they couldn't stop and just let Gatō do whatever he wanted. Not only would that be wrong, but it would mean economical suicide. I looked back at my stick.

"Sakura" I called the pinkie who was still watching Tazuna get further away from us down the unfinished bridge to announce the others about the 'lunch' break. "What did Naruto want during training?"

"Uh?" Sakura said confused. " Oh, then? He just asked for some tips."

"I see. Such as …?"

"I told him to relax and concentrate constant amounts of chakra in his feet. And not to be too eager."

She added the last part with dry irony. It was Naruto. He was _always too eager._ I nodded and returned my attention back to the stick. Those were barely tips to cool the blonde down and help him focus on what he has to do. But. _Am I not, myself a little 'too eager'?_ Well, I _was_ rather exasperated by my failures when it came to channeling chakra through the stick, as in I swore constantly in my mind and almost broke the stick with my fingers and not with chakra. But other than that I was cool. _Oh, well. _Relax right? I suddenly sat down on the concrete, with my legs crossed. I could feel Sakura's attention on my moves and I formed the two finger seal just like I did when climbing trees. _Concentrate small and constant amounts of chakra in my hands._ And then stretch it on the dead wood of the stick. But why stretch it? Why not wrap it _gently and nicely_ around it? I opened my eyes smiling widely.

"Tch. Piece of cake. I'm such a clotpole. Thanks Sakura."

"Uh, you're welcome?" she said confused.

"You can manage here by yourself, right?" I asked getting up and cursing silently when I moved my left arm. _I'm getting used to pain. I __**have**__ to get used to the pain.._ "It doesn't look like Zabuza will attack anytime soon."

"Where are you going? Kakashi-sensei said to guard Tazuna!"

I stopped in my tracks and turned to the pinkie I just walked away from, struggling with my pile of sticks. I looked around and closed my eyes. Then I opened them and smiled at Sakura.

"There's no one around with a decent amount of chakra, to pose any threat. The idiots are still in the woods failing to concentrate their little minds more than three seconds on the training and Kakashi is probably back at Tazuna's home, taking a nap." I talked quickly staring at her and arranging the sticks so they wouldn't fall. "I'm not going to tell Kakashi that I'm slacking at guarding and I even if we're attacked right now, I can't really help." I grimaced. "So it's up to you, if you want to tell Kakashi what a bad genin I am. After all he's not exactly my sensei."

I did not turn back to the pinkie when I finally left the bridge. I had **IDEAS.**

Ҩ

I was collecting my arrows when I noticed that it was rather dark around me. _I lost the light._ I was content though. I wasn't expecting to be able to shoot, with my shoulder so stiff. I looked at the trees around me with a smile. _Yeah._ I didn't have targets and I set no marks around. Nah. I've just shoot at a con pine, a certain branch or trees etc, etc. Just trees. That's why there were broken branches and scratches on the tree trunks. _But, no arrows broken_. They were intact.

I've been very attentive with my arrows and shoulder. _Yeah, that's why there's blood streaming down my elbow. _But I have tried to re-bandage it. _Tried_. Now it was numb, not even bothering me. All the blood and sweat and pain were worth the progress I've made. I smiled at the bow and pulled the arrow from the hard tree trunk. I was good with chakra control, so why not learn how to channel my chakra through things and perhaps help my skills when it came to archery? _My aim is getting better on its own as well. _I was getting back in 'shape', remembering my archery lessons back in school. _I should ask Kakashi to teach me how to walk on water._ I was aching to develop even faster. But there was also a sweet feeling when all four of us were listening to Kakashi's instructions and executed them together. Almost as a team, or friends since the team was consisting Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. _Have I became such a sucker for friendship?_ That was new.

_The effects of channeling too much chakra in arrows though…_ I looked at a badly broken tree. The trunk was bent and splinters were all over the place. Long and short, sharp with branches crushed on the ground as if it was the result of an explosion. _And that's how I've almost exhausted my chakra._ And almost had a heart attack due to the violent noise it accompanied it. Well, I could still walk. I looked at an arrow that was stuck into a high branch. Yeah… that would have to wait until tomorrow. I left the woods walking as fast as I could. My legs were trembling and my arms were almost numb. I didn't want to end up as Kakashi. _Well, this reminds me that I am a genin of twelve years old._ I shouldn't have abused my chakra this much. _Also, I wouldn't end up as Kakashi._ No, I would just die. At this age, with such an underdeveloped chakra control, yes that would most likely be the outcome.

The night was calm and warm, with the moon just risen on the sky. It did give me the chills of a déjà-vu. I shook my head, making myself a little dizzy. _No._ It wasn't the same. The insects were loud in the grass, the only ones that could be heard around. The Lands of Waves wasn't like Konoha, where no matter what time it was you could hear the villagers swarming around the village carrying out their little tasks. No, the Land of Waves was serene and quiet at night. Even during the day there wasn't much activity to speak of in the village. Only from the bridge came the roar of construction, but during the night none of it could be heard. I arrived at Tazuna's house just in time for dinner.

"Kaya-chan!" Naruto looked at me as I entered the house drawing everyone's attention to me. I left my bow and arrows at the door and enteedr the room in which the table was set, eyeing hungrily the food.

"Sakura told me that you stormed to the woods" Kakashi said watching me closely. "Any progress with… whatever you were trying to do?"

"Very much so" I smiled at him, while I struggled with a new bandage. Tsunami was making sure that everyone was eating and had everything we needed, but came over to me and helped. She commented something about overusing my shoulder instead of resting and I thanked her, but I did not promise that I wouldn't do exactly the same thing in the morning. I watched Tazuna, sitting at the head of the table, opposite Sakura. I pushed the duck aside, dragging a chair with me and made some room for myself opposite Naruto. Both of them were eating like pigs really. Wolfing down the food like there was no tomorrow.

"This is really fun!" Tazuna exclaimed trying to lighten up the mood. Really, we were a bunch of tired people, silent and not at all in a talkative mood. "It's been a while since I ate with this many people."

"Second, please!"

I made a disgusted sound as the two idiots required yet another bowl of food, just before they threw everything up on the floor.

"If you're going to barf, don't eat!" Sakura exclaimed and I got up to help Tsunami with cleaning the vomit from the floor. I've hit the Uchiha with the broomstick in the process and I received a death glare. I smiled not apologizing.

"No, I'll eat." The duck said determined to burn his esophagus with vomit, probably.

"I have to eat even if I must force myself. I have to become strong quickly." Naruto said as well, persisting in stupidity.

"If you want to become strong _quickly_ you have already failed" I said calmly sitting back down and eating. "You need patience and determination, if you want to become stronger." I grimaced. I too needed to become stronger if I wanted to go one with what I started. I was seriously out of shape physically speaking.

"So, so. Barfing isn't good." Kakashi agreed nodding with his arms crossed.

The two seemed to take into consideration Kakashi's words. The dinner went without anyone else barfing, no massacres and no cats trying to sneak out with food. Oh Vala, I missed Mikasa. Her fluffy fur and soothing purr. I sighed, excused myself and went after the eye drops. I was proud to say that not even once have I strayed from my treatment. Well, at least not when it came to eye drops. I struggled with the little bottle because of my arm, which decided to pay me back for using it too much when I should have rest and let it heal. Of course, as I was struggling in the not so well illuminated room, I accidentally poured more drops in my left eye. I cursed. How many were they? I just added some more on the right eye. I hoped I didn't determine some sort of imbalance or something. As far as I was concerned, these eye drops did nothing but help my blurriness. And headaches. _That medic-nin had been right. _Oh, well.

When I came back, the others were enjoying tea. People in this world…. were fond of tea. I wasn't, but I didn't mind it either. Sakura was inspecting the picture on the wall. The one with Tsunami, Inari and Tazuna. Yeah, the one in which a person was torn out. _Oh._ Well.

"You're really fond of tea aren't you?" I mumbled to the duck, who was holding his tea mug with both hands, like Mikasa did with her precious favorite toy.

"Hn."

"Uh, why are you hanging a torn picture on the wall?" Sakura asked and I sighed. "Inari-kun was watching this during the dinner."_ Geez, Sakura I wonder why?_ "The missing part looks like someone intentionally tore away the person who was there."

I sighed again. _Perhaps I'm not the only one who likes to spit out things that make people uncomfortable_. I observed the reactions of all three, Tsunami, Inari and Tazuna, every each of them gone stiff and silent. There was a slight… hostility in the air.

"It's my husband." Tsunami said with a final tone not wanting to elaborate while standing with her back turned.

"He was the man known as the hero of this town." Tazuna explained and Inari's reaction was immediate, getting up and walking towards the door before his mother could even turn around.

"Inari! Where are you going?"

But Inari was already out the door. _That was fast and without even muttering a word. _Tsunami went after her son abandoning the dishes in the sink and turning to Tazuna with fury.

"Father, I told you not to talk about _him _in front of Inari!"

_Family drama_. One thing I have _never_ missed from my life as a normal teenager was family drama. The fact that I wasn't experiencing that kind of drama here, because I had no family was completely irrelevant. I sat back and listen to Tazuna's voice as he apologized for the little scene. Then he proceeded to tell us the story of how Inari lost faith in humanity. Really. I paid no attention to it, mainly because after eating I felt the strong desire for a prolonged nap. But it would be rude to leave in the middle of Tazuna's speech just because I was tired. I slept for two days. _I can't sleep._ No, because my mind was a wreck of thoughts. I didn't sympathize with Inari when it came to losing people and life tragedy in general. I didn't lose a father, I lost my life. I didn't lose hope, I lost an entire world. I didn't even want to think about the massacre of the clan. That was something I would never be able to find a term of comparison for. But I felt I had no right to relate to that incident. _Incident? The whole fucking clan has been wiped out._ With the exception of Sasuke and me. It bothered me. The fact that I was alive. Well, no not because I was alive, obviously, but because there wasn't any reason behind my 'survival'. I was an Uchiha and I should be dead. Danzo would have never allowed me to be spared. _UNLESS._ Unless I wasn't an Uchiha. But why would Uchiha Fugaku claim that I was an Uchiha if that wasn't the case? Because the head of a clan would never take responsibility for a foreign child. _Unless the Hokage made him do that._ Yeah, because the Uchiha were so compliant and obedient went it came to orders and the head of the village. It's not like they planned a coup d'état. Of course, there was the possibility that I was, in fact, an Uchiha, but also something else as well. The memory of soft blonde hair still lingered. _And that man_. Those memories were, however, blurred. As every memory from childhood. But I wasn't a child. _Perhaps not psychically_ But physically_…_ I shook my head. _ Too much time spent in here. _ It was time to return to the present.

_Why am I alive?_ That question remained in my mind stamped with red. One of the many question I had to find the answer to alongside. who were my parents? Who brought me to Konoha? How do I activate the Sharingan? What's behind Kakashi's fucking mask? What happens if you put soda in ramen? And, of course, how does Sasuke manage to defy gravity with his hair and posed such a stupid chicken butt style? I loved my hyperactive mind. _ No, not really. _I watched the blonde get up and fall immediately flat on his face.

"What are you doing, Naruto?" Sakura scolded exasperated.

"If you're trying to train, don't." Kakshi said calmly. "You molded too much chakra. If you move anymore, you are going to die."

"Yes Naruto, stop hurting the floor" I said drinking tea. "It has feelings. Sorry Mrs. Floor, Naruto's just being a retard as usual" Sakura glared at me with a weird expression.

"I'm going to prove him…" the blonde's voice was strained with the effort of getting up. "That there are heroes in this world. I'm going to prove it to him!"

"Yes, but not if you end up dead too." I said pointing to his shaking legs. "Go to sleep. You have a training to finish. We should all rest, actually. Our mission isn't done."

"Kaya is correct." Kakashi agreed. "We should rest. Zabuza should make his appearance soon."

All of us were rather weary of that thought. But soon meant almost a week or so. If I remembered correctly. We had time. The others got to their feet mumbling something close to 'good night' and dragging their feet. I looked amused at the rather tired Naruto, but determined, with a new goal in mind.

"Kaya-chan, are you coming?" Sakura asked looking curiously at me as I sat calmly without bothering to follow my own advice and go to sleep.

"I'll wait Tsunami, for my shoulder" I said emptying my mug of tea. "Duck, help me with the dishes."

"You don't have to do that" Tazuna said turning. "Tsunami will take care of those."

"I can help you, Kaya-chan." Sakura offered looking at Sasuke who in return was fixing me with a puzzled expression. I smiled.

"Nah. That's alright Tazuna. And Sakura, I left you alone on guard duty." I said as if that explained everything. "Go to sleep. Sasuke can help me with cleaning up."

She looked as if she wanted to say something but thought better of it. And because Sasuke already walked pass her and took the tea mugs from the table. I smiled at Sakura encouraging her to go. She seemed as enthusiastic as Sasuke was to help with the dishes. She left the room the last with Tazuna, who was insisting that it was absolutely unnecessary of us to do anything like this, but I waved him off already walking over to the sink. _Eh. _Naruto was too tired to actually react to anything at the moment and Kakashi sent me a suspicious look but said nothing. Well, I wasn't exactly discreet so, yeah.

_Discretion is not one of my many qualities. _I discovered, however, that the duck was a _very _quiet individual. Well, I knew he wasn't the most talkative or loud person in the first place, but to actually stay with my back turned to him and not hear his _steps_, was plainly creepy. He appeared in my peripheral vision with the mugs.

"Once upon a time, there was a clan. With numerous clan members." I started talking over the water jet. "They were killed. All of them, in one summer night by, perhaps, the most highly esteemed member. He killed all of them. With two notable exceptions." I turned to the rigid duck and pointed at him then at me. "You and I. Now, that's curious, right?"

I took one of the mugs and poured in it the tea that remained in the teapot. Sasuke didn't turn from the sink as I sat on a chair at the table. _Oh, the tea is still hot. _ Well, more like warm, but it would help me sleep either way. I watched the duck as he took the teapot and wash it feverously. _He's not going to talk. _No, he wasn't going to, not while he was clutching the poor teapot like that. I sighed. Oh, well.

"You know, I'm not usually telling stories out of the blue and speak of the massacre of the Uchiha clan _just for fun_." I said and stopped instantly when the Uchiha turned around.

I did expect a heavy silence or a tensed discussion, but the glare he sent me could cut glass. I did not anticipate the awkwardness of the situation to hit me in the middle of a phrase, because since I'd been born into this world, I've been wearing this identity of Uchiha Kaya like a mask. And now a little part of that mask cracked at the dark vibes the duck sent. I had to remind myself that this was just a twelve years old. _Whose family has been killed by the person he idolized. _His brother. How would that be? To have my whole family killed by my older brother? I shuddered. _No, I can't imagine it. _But I could anticipate what Sasuke thought and that came in handy especially now. _For a twelve years old… his glare is very creepy. _And intense. But I already knew that. I said nothing because I got the feeling I have already said too much, so I preferred to wait for some kind of reaction from the raven haired. Most likely he was wondering why was I suddenly interested in talking about what happened then. And that I have intentionally asked him to help me with the dishes. And that he was much more worn out than me, which also meant he couldn't just storm out because I would stop him. But, I truly doubted Sasuke would avoid this discussion, or more exactly confrontation. Simply because it would only postpone it and not resolve it. The practical approach was to just get over with it.

"What do you want?"

I half expected him to spit out the question in disgust, but all that I got was an unexpressive tone with a slight annoyed undertone. But the fact that he chose to listen to me, or something close to that, meant victory. For now.

"Exchange of information" I said drinking tea and looking at the table because I dropped some of the contents of my mug on it. _Brilliant._ I fussed around trying to wipe the tea from the wood and Sasuke watched my moves with narrow eyes, thinking. Ha._ I'm forcing him to talk._ He wasn't talkative. I _was talkative_, but stubborn not to tell him explicitly everything, thus making him _ask questions._ Perhaps his communicative skills would get better after this.

"Exchange of information about what?" he asked calculated as I was attentive about the mug. _Wood like this won't react well to water._ Old wood. I had that in my classroom back home and some of my classmates splashed water on the floor. And it started to bloat up and then cracked. Weird. Tsunami was a rather calm and nice person and an exceptional host but I didn't want to risk it. Even the smallest persons can turn into hungry beasts if you feed them after midnight. _That… makes no sense. _Weren't those gremlins?

"Why, duck, about Kakashi's one thousand years of death jutsu."I rolled my eyes. "About the Massacre. About our clan being slaughtered. You might remember it." The last part was maybe a little more acidic than I intended, but I couldn't muster a feeling of guilt over it.

Unfortunately, I was entitled to be harsher than I should with Sasuke because, well the _freaking manga_. Because of the person he would become in some years, and I knew it was ridiculous. Sometimes I wish I wasn't aware of the events and the future. It made me biased, because I wasn't the person to ignore some certain acts as trying to kill your team mate or betraying every sense of morality just for the sake of revenge. _That didn't happen._ Not yet.

"I see it every time I close my eyes. That man…"

I looked closely at Sasuke. He wasn't talking to me. He was thinking out loud. _He's twelve. He's twelve and his brother killed his family. He's twelve and he saw everything. _He was twelve. A child. In pain. _He's going to break a finger or something. _His hands were in fists and if I watched closely I could swear he was trembling. Out of pain and rage.

"He seemed… sad. That night." I talked in an even voice. "And broken. But that might have been only me; I was sitting in vomit and blood after all". I snorted and the duck looked at me suddenly.

"You saw him that night?" he asked in an urgent tone as if that was a very important piece of information, ignoring everything else I've said. _Well, it is._

"Did _you_?" I asked raising my eyebrow. "You can't expect me to answer your question without asking for something in return." I pointed at the chair across me. For a couple of minutes I thought he wouldn't come and sit, but he obliged with a strain. He was suspicious of my reasons. Ah, well.

"What do you mean by information?" he inquired and I mentally cursed, because he wouldn't like the answer to that question.

"Whatever information I know from that night and what I deduced about it, ever since." I said and he scowled.

"That's not information. That's suspicion." he disagreed in a cold tone. "It's useless to me."

"Why don't you decide that after you hear me out?" I said talking explicitly accentuating every word. "I need information from you only to verify whatever _suspicions_ I have, as you called them. It's not like I'm asking you to tell me the secrets of the clan – that, supposedly your parents considered you old enough to share them with you – and we _are_ Uchiha. Both of us." _I think. _ "And you are free to ask me anything." I shot my hands up to emphasize what I said and smiled amused with a spark of sarcasm. "If you have any curiosities about my persona, personality, cat, food, hobbies and dreams, now it's your chance." But the duck only responded with an arrogant "Hn" because I wasn't, as an individual, important enough for the great Uchiha Sasuke, and perhaps because I just said that he wasn't important enough to be entrusted with clan information. But I did see a spark of curiosity flicker in the duckling so I knew that I won. _Let the game begin._

"Why are you so interested in that night?" he asked before I could say anything else.

"… well, aren't you interested in that night? We lost our clan, if you recall." But when he looked at me with a blank expression I realized that he wasn't in mood for japes. "Right. You want to find and kill your brother. But what reason do I have?" _I'm seriously testing his patience._ "My parents. I'm gathering any information I can about the Uchiha. And as a consequence, about my parents. I don't… have where else to start." I hesitated because I haven't actually answered his question and his expression was unreadable so I wasn't sure if I should elaborate or not. "I'm trying to make sense of that night, because in my mind Uchiha Itachi had _no_ reason to kill his own clan. Why leave survivors? Unless … you know more about this than me." I looked at Sasuke expecting his response.

He did not respond. He only looked at the table without truly seeing it. I knew what he was thinking of, but couldn't possibly imagine what it was like. What it had been like. Sure, I've been there that night, but my and Sasuke experience of it was… different. There isn't a world where the assassination of an entire family would be ok. But the culprit to be a member from the said family... It was monstrous. And not only that, but that night, Sasuke's whole system of values and perception of reality were distorted. I never considered myself to be part of the clan, because I never considered myself to be part of this entire world at all. Sasuke on the other hand lost everything he loved. Clan. Family. Brother. _And he's twelve._

"He said he wanted to test his capacity" he said in a blank voice. "And to test me as well."

"To… test his capacity?" I said with doubt. "He killed the entire clan, in order to _test his capacity?_" I snorted and sat back while the duckling was watching me closely as if he just remembered I was there. _He's not approving of my reaction._ "And he let you live to, what? Become strong and avenge the clan?"I shook my head and he narrowed his eyes. "It makes no sense, duckling."

"_What do you think_?" he almost snapped, which made me aware of how easygoing I was about discussing of a mass assassination.

"I don't know what to think." I said. "I told you: it makes no sense. And I'll tell you why. The Uchiha were the police force, in close relation with the ANBU. Where was the ANBU in that night? It was genocide, for Vala's sake. And the fuss about it was rather… short lived. Doesn't it bother you?"

"They knew who did it. There was no use for a lengthy inquiry" the duck said promptly as if he already debated this before. _Which he most likely did, alone._

"And no one ever asked _why_? You and I are alive, why? You said he tested you and if I accept that for an answer, I can follow the logic as to why. But I see no reason why _I_ am alive."

"Maybe he didn't have time. The ANBU would have come in shortly."

"Didn't have time? He killed the whole clan. Have you ever noticed how _many_ members there were? and not all of them useless. Not even close. He had time to tell me to go to sleep and put me under genjutsu. It's not lack of time. And the ANBU should have noticed something was off immediately. Itachi was an ANBU."

He fell silent, thinking. Has he truly never asked himself how the ANBU never seemed bothered by the assassination of one of the most prolific clan in the Land of Fire? And has he never asked himself why he wasn't the only survivor? _He's obsessed with getting stronger and kill Itachi._ Was he truly this blinded by pain and anger?

"What if… I'm not an Uchiha?" I asked hesitantly and he looked at me suddenly.

"What do you mean 'not an Uchiha'?" he said as if I just admitted that Hell was covered in ice.

"Not… really not being an Uchiha" I sighed at my inability to explain things efficiently. _I envy Sakura._ "What if, I am an Uchiha but also part of another clan?" This time it was me who was talking more with myself. Because if I were from another clan and _that _clan had some kind of importance or anything like that, my survival wouldn't seem so hazardous. Itachi had been ordered to kill the Uchiha. That was _Danzo_'s order. But what if Danzo couldn't get rid of me? And what if it was because of my parents? At least one of them.

"Hn. It wouldn't matter." Sasuke said. _Still stubborn with the idea that Itachi did this to gain power._ He was being ignorant.

"Yes, it wouldn't, _if_ Itachi killed everybody in order to gain power." I snorted again annoying the duck. "He has never stricken me as a psychopath. Spontaneously killing his whole clan only for _power._ Now, if the reason was another, and if my theory about my parents is true… things are different."

"What other reason would he have?" Sasuke asked exasperated that I was persisting with my idea.

"I really don't know" I admitted finding unfit to tell him that he did it to keep his little brother alive and for the sake of the village. _Damn Danzo._ "Differences of values. Or of duty. A badly cooked supper" I grimaced at my bad humor attempt. "_I don't know_. But I'm planning on finding out."

"How?" the duck inquired and I was pleased to discover that it was curiosity and not doubt that pushed the question.

"Records. Scrolls. Archives." I answered fast. "Some of them are under key, but some aren't. And I have you" I said blatantly. "For clan information. I wasn't exactly at the core of it."_ Becase breaking into ANBU records it's my everyday hobby._

"Hn. Why do you think I will help you?" the duck asked as if I have taken his help for granted.

"Because if you're planning to kill Itachi, you might as well want to know the reasons behind his actions first. Or at least information. It's helping both of us achieve our goals."

"Hn"

_But he didn't say 'no'. _Of course, it helped that I mentioned the word 'goals'. And killing Itachi, of course. _How fucked up are we truly?_ Children trying to break into a secret organization records, find their parents, kill their brother. This was fucked up, but I didn't suppose I had time to contemplate it. No, I just had to go with it and juggle with whatever information and people I could. This was fucked up as well. _I'm not intelligent or versatile enough for this kind of 'game'. _But I wondered if I had any choice.

"So, is this a deal?" I said smiling as the dark haired duck eyed me suspiciously. "I try to gather information about that night and the relations between the clan and village, you help me with what you know, and we both try to make _something_ of it." I sighed. "You are trying to kill your brother; I'm trying to find out who my parents were."

"I'm not going to try to kill my brother; I'm going _to kill him_" Sasuke said with a fierce determination.

"Yes, yes. _I know_." I said and grimaced. "I wish I had the same certainty that I will learn who my parents were. Well, _right now_, we can't do anything else, but wait. And train." It occurred to me that it was rather late. "And we should get some sleep. Unless you have any particular questions? I did promise to answer some, haven't I?" I was making a reference to my joke earlier and getting up to wash the mug, but the duck took it seriously.

"Why now?"

"Pardon?" I said stopping mid-step. He hesitated.

"Why now, suddenly you wanted to talk about it?" _He's studying me._ My reaction, to be more exactly. The duck was strange.

"Because we are out of the village. There's no ANBU around. Or haven't you noticed back at home…? You haven't." I looked at the mortified duck with something close to pity. I laughed. "Oh, duck. Why on earth would anyone leave the orphan survivors of a mass assassination _not under heavy surveillance_? Be sensible. Now we should get some sleep."

He nodded, still preoccupied with what I have said, but not satisfied with only that as an answer. Neither of us pointed that Tsunami didn't returned to finish washing the dishes, so our initiative might prove to be a rather nice surprise for her in the morning. _At least that._ I turned to the Uchiha, startling him.

"Sleep well, duckling. _You'll need it."_

_And we're back to Lord of the Rings quotes._

* * *

**I am SO sorry for how long it took me to post this chapter. A lot of things happened and I experienced an inspiration crisis. I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME. Yes, yes, I do but **_**it slips between my fingers like water. **_**Ah, well. I'm not satisfied with this chapter. Things go sloooow. But I like exploring Kaya's personality and mind. And I had to put things in motion for what I have in mind concerning her and Sasuke. Things are never going to be easy with these two. I want to thank everyone that read the fanfic, everyone that reviewed, favored and follow it. YOU ARE AWESOME! I know ****ewaa****, you asked why Itachi didn't kill her and I smirked at that because I was already writing the chapter and knew that Kaya must be wondering that as well. I can't say other things than that Kaya is right. It has to do with Danzo. I won't say more, because it would reveal something important from the story. Ah, well. This is all. I'm going to sleep. And then I'm starting to write the next chapter ^_^. Please review and let me know you thought about this chapter. They are **_**extremely **_**appreciated and treasured!**

**Catch you guys later!**


	13. A wild Derpina appears - Part 1

**Chapter XIII: A wild Derpina appears - Part 1: The duck, the psychosis and the Floor**

The morning light was not merciful with me. Or the light itself was, but not the pinkie who let it come into the room with a fast move and an excited voice. I couldn't catch the words coming out her mouth, as I curled up in the futon and blanket trying to put out the light with my pillow. It didn't work.

"Good morning, Kaya-chan!" the merry voice of Sakura erupted in my uncovered ears and I flinched further in the futon. "Tsunami-san almost finished cooking breakfast."

I grunted and abandoned my pillow, while stumbling into a sitting position in the middle of the futon. _So fucking bright. _It was another cloudless day, I guessed from how the light was so bright and tinted with golden rays. I vaguely smelled food and I caught Sakura's silhouette with the hands resting on her hips, staring at me. _If it wasn't so fucking, painful this would be a good photo. If I had a camera. _ Painful as it was to look at, with all the light around her, it was rather nice how it made almost like a halo around Sakura, with her hair almost to the waist, looking at me with unyielding eyes, like I was a little brat not wanting to wake up. _What the hell is wrong with you, brain? _I yawned.

"Sakura… the light…" I said weakly, berating my eyes from the painful light.

"Ah, right. Sorry." she rapidly pushing the curtains back to cover the windows. "Better?"

"Mhm" I said tryying to wash out the blurriness out of my eyes. "I'll be there in ten minutes." _ Cue to get the fuck out and leave me alone to do my morning routine. _

"Ok, don't rush, the others aren't up yet."

She didn't catch my reaction because she was out of the door in seconds. _The others aren't up yet…_ then why the hell was _I_ up? _Weird pinkie-morning-pup. _Now she was most likely helping Tsunami with preparing the breakfast, which was _almost_ done. _Which_ meant that Tsunami just _started_ the breakfast. But after I have overslept in the first days, I guess Sakura learnt _precisely_ the hour at which to wake me up, in order to be ready for breakfast in time. _Aw, she's being considerate. _I finally got up and stretched, yawning again, ready to go to the bathroom.

The past four days at Tazuna's house were uneventful. And I was glad. It gave me more time to heal my shoulder and I was nearly able to shoot properly again. It was invigorating to hold the bow steadily again and feel the vibrations through the entire arm when the arrow left the string. But it was still painful. Molding chakra and channeling it through the arrows wasn't easy either, but I was getting better and better every each day. _Little by little._ My only impediments now were time and patience. _And chakra stamina. _I had great stamina, just not as much as I wanted. _I must learn how to use it smartly not abusively_ … Not that I wasn't telling myself that at least ten times per day_. _

I spent little to almost no time with the others. _Not really. _We all ate breakfast in the morning together. Then I was going for a run in the woods - because my physical condition was shit - while the duck, the blonde and Kakashi went tree climbing and Sakura went to the bridge with Tazuna. At lunch I would come to the bridge and eat with Sakura - because I knew she got lonely - and then I would leave for archery practice. We all met for dinner at Tazuna's, almost too tired to carry out even a casual conversation. Naruto and Sasuke were exhausted from their training, and I _stubbornly_ exhausted myself as well. I didn't have Sasuke's stamina though and I was _very _envious. I knew I couldn't ever hope to even come _close_ to Naruto – Nine Tails, much? – but I did hoped for better. _I'm bitching. _My stamina was decent. _But I don't want to be a __**decent**__ ninja._ I grimaced in the mirror, trying to get the damp hair out of my face. _I hadn't even registered the shower. _Or the fact that I was brushing my teeth. _Eh. _Spacing out, much?

I finished brushing my teeth and looked in the mirror with the eye drops bottle in my hand. _I look like a constipated squirrel that has rabies._ Well, actually it looked a lot better than it did the last few days. My eyes, I meant. Because applying more eye drops than recommended actually _has _repercussions. _ Well, not exactly repercussions. _No, just neovascularization of the cornea. Instead of having nice clear eyes, the white of the eye was almost red. All of it. Or at least it has been for the past three days. Now my eyes looked like I haven't been sleeping for a week or so, while reading in the dim light and drinking coffee instead of water. It didn't scare me. _Bullshit. _ Yeah, ok, maybe I've spent two hours in the bathroom staring at the mirror, but Tsunami and Sakura's fidgeting was even worse. _And_ _Naruto, let's not forget the blondie. _

I grimaced as I finished applying the eye drops. I reduced the amount of liquid since the reaction to my stupid idea of applying more was rather creepy. But my eyes were better now, than the first day the little red veins appeared. Now they looked just very, _very_, _**very**_ tired. Because of the red tinge around the pupil, the dark brown seemed to be pitch black. My eyes were never of such a dark color. But I never paid this much attention to their color until now, either. _Maybe I should have._ It bothered me. The Sharingan. Or to be more precise, the lack of it. I was an Uchiha. _Aren't I? _There were fan-theories that all Uchiha had dark eyes, if not black. But I always thought that it was ridiculous to link the Sharingan to the color of the iris. Maybe I was wrong? _So Uchiha have black eyes or very, very, very dark shade of brown? _ The notion made me chuckle.

When I got to the kitchen I noticed two significant persons that _weren't _present. The smell though, crippled my mind. _Food, food, food, food. _ No one noticed me so when I sat down with my plate full of food, Sakura sent me a startled look.

"Kaya-chan!" she said surprised. "I didn't hear you."

"Good morning."I said cheerfully and then turned my attention to the food as Tsunami smiled from the sink. _That woman is glued to the sink, I swear._

"Good morning" Tazuna returned the salute equally cheerful.

"You are in a good mood today" Kakashi observed carefully. I couldn't blame him. The last few days were hell for me and I hadn't refrained from making everyone around me aware of this.

"Where are the blonde and the duck?" I asked gulping the food down.

"Naruto hasn't returned last night – "

"Really? He's rather young to start _that_ now."

" – and Sasuke-kun has just left for a walk." Sakura finished ignoring my remark. I nodded and concentrated on the food. Food is important.

"Oh you mean, 'has just left to look for him'? Yeah, thought so."

"Someone so young to be outside for an entire night…" Tsunami agreed with my statement ignoring the sarcasm. I waved her off.

"I used to spend the nights in _and_ around a the Uchiha compound, hidden in the trees and long grass. And I was six." I said as Sakura watched me closely with a surprised expression as if trying to determine whether or not I was being serious. _But I wasn't exactly outside the compound and neither was I outside the village. _

"I think we should all go after the two, when you're done eating." Kakashi said with his arms crossed.

"Huh? Why? Do you think Naruto is dead from chakra exhaustion?" I asked and I saw Inari flinch. _Ha. He told us that we're going to die if we fight __Gatō__, but is startled at the actual thought? _That child has problems with death. With the idea of it, anyway.

"No, but I want to see their progress" Kakashi said not explaining why he wanted me and Sakura there as well. I nodded understanding that he didn't want me to question further. If Kakashi had a bad feeling and wanted to settle it, who was I to complain? _No running today. _I would survive, though.

"Done." I said putting the plate aside. "The food was delicious, Tsunami-san."

"Done already?!" Sakura exclaimed while she was still eating at a slow pace. Her eyes traveled along the table to another now empty plate. _Oh._

"Hurry up Sakura. I want to see how those two idiots _haven't _completed the training yet."

"I'm not going to eat faster just because you want me to! It's not healthy."

"Ha. Where's Sasuke when I need him?" if it would have been him telling her to hurry up she would have abandoned her food already, but I did not added that seeing as Sakura was about to lash out and strangle me if I said one more word.

When the pinkie _finally_ finished her breakfast we made our way to where we begun our chakra training some days ago. And we found no one. At least not at first glance.

"Naruto!" Sakura's voice was annoyingly sharp while she called for the blonde idiot. "What is Naruto doing? Sasuke-kun hasn't return after he said he was going for a walk either." _Do the two of them click together in your head now, Sakura?_ Although, she did seem genuinely concerned about Sasuke's safetly alone in the woods. I rolled my eyes. _I love little girls, they make me feel so good. I love little girls, they make me feel so bad._ I tried to shake pedo bear out of my head. _That's fitting for Orochimaru, though. _No. Just…no.

"Where are those idiots?" I mumbled looking around and trying to avoid the direct contact with the sun rays. One thing that changed since my splendid idea with the eye drops was that my eyes became much more sensitive to sunlight. I felt like a vampire, really. As an answer to my question, a wild kunai appeared. _A wild Derpina appears._ It landed just before our feet. All three of us looked up to the trees.

"Eh, Naruto?!"

I agreed with her tone. High above the ground, in one of the tallest trees, the blonde was resting exhausted on a branch, but managed a grin when he heard Sakura's surprised voice. I smiled at the grinning idiot who was barely standing on the branch, his arms and legs dangling in the air, using the tree as a very uncomfortable bed.

"Do you want a pillow, blondie?" I said loudly.

"Naruto is able to climb all the way up there now?" Sakura asked incredulously as if the thought alone was absurd. I smirked at her. If only she knew. "Amazing."

"How do you like that?" the blonde shouted. "I can climb this high now!"

"Yeah, we have eyes." I mumbled but then added loudly "Nice work, idiot. But can you come down on your own?"

"He he" was his answer and jumped in a standing position. _Maybe I was wrong. _He seemingly had no problem standing up on the branch. And just then, he lost his balance.

"Idiot!"

"This is bad!" Kakashi tensed, but in vain since he still had to use crutches to _walk_.

_Would I be fast enough to catch him?_ Perhaps, but not strong enough to actually hold him. But we didn't have to worry, the idiot just turned upside down without falling from the branch. _I can't hear with my right ear._ No, it was temporary dysfunctional due to Sakura screaming.

"You fell for it!"

_Keh. _I laughed at Sakura's scared face and Kakashi who sighed relieved and exasperated by Naruto's antics. _Well, that answers my question doesn't it? _ I shook my head at the blonde. _Naruto will always be Naruto. _He was grinning at us like the Cheshire Cat, his whiskered face looking even rounder then usually, as he watched us upside down. Then his feet detached from the surface of the branch. _WHAT THE FUCK?!_

From the corner of my eye I could see movement and then something blue. _Oh. _With swift paces Sasuke arrived on the branch the idiot blonde stood before, catching him by the ankle and dangling upside down. Naruto dangled too tired to move anymore, as Sasuke was holding his ankle with an annoyed expression on his face.

"You idiot."

I didn't have to try too hard to hear those two words. I sighed exasperated, but watched the duck with a displeased expression. _He's fast. _And had an almost perfect chakra control, or at least enough to concentrate on catching unexpected falling objects, like Naruto. _I'm mean._ Yeah, I was.

"Way to go, Sasuke-kun! You amaze me! Kaya-chan? Where are you going?"

I was walking already in a random direction, distancing myself from team seven, checking out the trees and luminosity around. _Too bright, and branches of the trees are too thin._ I didn't cause useless damage to the environment. _What a big fat lie._

"Training" I told her calmly without turning as I grimaced at the clear sky I could see through the not-so-thick green crowns.

"Kaya, don't go too far."

I looked puzzled at Kakashi, but nodded. _What's with him today? _ I had no idea, but neither had I dwelled too much on it. I needed to train. Urgently.

Ҩ

_I used too much chakra_. I was panting hard as I opened and closed my fist. My left arm was shaking from overusing it. _Shit. _There was a sharp pain running through it, at every movement. After so many days (what like, three-four?) … and I was back to feeling pain whenever I moved my arm or shoulder. _Just once more_. I reached for an arrow stuck in a branch above me.

_Fuck. _As I set the arrow in the string and stretched my left arm holding the bow straight, I channeled chakra in the arrow. I exhaled almost against the wood of the arrow, concentrating. My target this time was a pine cone on a high branch, at a reasonable distance. Just before I released the arrow I knew something was wrong. The fletching of the arrow brushed roughly against my fingers and I knew it would deviate its direction, but that wasn't it. My fingers _burned_. _What the hell?_ I retracted my hand startled by the sudden pain. I didn't even bother to see the arrow _not_ reaching the pine cone, as I automatically looked down to my fingers.

"What the hell?" I exclaimed.

The skin was red, and very sensitive as if I've just waved my hand above flames. A wild idea went through my head and I looked suddenly at the pine cone. _Surely I must have at least grazed it?_ And sure enough, the pine cone dangled from left to right still attached to the branch with only one notable change. It was_ on fire. _

I stared at it. My mind went blank, forgetting about the pain in my shoulder and the softly burnt fingers. I just watched the pine cone as the little flame consumed it slowly, encouraged by the timid wind which only fueled it. It was rather bright and hauntingly contrasted against the violet tinged with red sky. I had no idea how dark it got until then. _Snap out of it. _I shook my head, still staring at the pine cone, which fell when the flame reached the peduncle. _If the pine cone is on fire, then…_

"Oh!"

For the next five minutes I searched for the arrow, which was easy to find, stuck in the ground. I doubted that it could have set fire to the grass, as it was green, but there was yellow bristle grass and I remembered how when I was a little I enjoyed setting on fire and watch it burn. _I do not intend to set fire and watch it burn __**accidentally**__, right now._ Thankfully, that didn't happen, because the area where the arrow landed was rather stony, so the little flame died down. However, the arrow was beyond saving.

"Ah, well." I mused silently as I inspected the arrow and it broke in two at my touch, too fragile to hold.

I made my way back to Tazuna's house, my mind fixed on what just happened. _I should have seen that coming_. But surely my chakra control isn't that good?! No, it wasn't possible. But it wasn't impossible either. And I couldn't control it. I didn't even know _how_ the hell it happened. _I've just gathered chakra in my arm and then I channeled in the arrow…_ then it clicked all together. _But…_ going back to what I remembered from the anime, the clan that could use fire jutsu was the Uchiha, but in order to do so, they gathered chakra in their chests and… I stopped in my tracks. What did I do just before releasing the arrow?

"Holy shit."_ It makes sense._

I entered the house only to find both Sasuke and Naruto on the floor.

"Not you too, Sasuke!" I said putting the bow and quiver aside as usual. "The. Floor. Has. FEELINGS." I examined their tired faces and dirty clothes. "Not to mention you both look as if you battled some pigs."

"We climbed to the top" Naruto grinned ignoring my remark as the duck sent me another death glare. _He looks like he's been saying that for the past thirty minutes or so._

"Congratulation. You want a medal?" I commented but smirked as to not be taken _too_ seriously. "Ah, I see. You decided to share your small victory with Ms. Floor ."

"Kaya-chan, what's wrong with your shoulder?" Sakura asked as I came closer.

"I might have overused it." I grimaced as I tried to lift my arm.

"Do you want me to help you with that?" Tsunami offered as she put a bowl of salad on the table and my mind went automatically to Sarada. _What the fuck, mind?_

"Yeah, that would be nice."

The dinner was uneventful (I didn't touch the Salad), but the food was good as always. After Tsunami looked at my shoulder she concluded that overusing it like this would only delay the healing as the wound almost reopened. That's why it got all bloody again. _Urgh. _Then again, Tsunami wasn't a medical expert, but I did promise not to use it again until the wound is healed completely. And this time I meant it, but not because of the reason she was invoking. What happened earlier creeped me out. _ I can't continue training on my own. _ No, I needed guidance and an explanation.

"The bridge is almost complete" Tazuna announced as we all finished eating. "It's thanks to you." _Um, yeah, not really._

"But don't push yourself so much" Tsunami commented already gathering the dishes. Tazuna just smiled at her, but did not seem to take in her words.

"I wanted to ask this before," he started looking at Kakashi "but why are you still here when I lied about the request's details?"

_Because you tried to make us feel guilty of your imminent death if we didn't, you old fart._ Kakashi took a moment to think, while I rolled my eyes preparing myself for a lecture about shinobi values or citation or _something_ like that. And the grey jounin didn't disappoint me.

" 'Not doing right when you know it is right is a coward's way. There are no weak soldiers under a valiant commander' " he said with a solemn face. Or something close to solemn, I couldn't truly say because of the _freaking mask_. "They are the teachings of the previous Hokage."

"The Fourth? He sounds like he was a very smart guy." I remarked. _Oh, humor._ Minato was, perhaps my favorite character, but he didn't get much screen time until later in the war._ Well, he __**is**__ dead._ "And honorable."

Kakashi nodded and I could swear he was smiling. It was sad. That out of his team, he was the only to survive. Or at least to his and the village's knowledge. _I guess he was right. His friend's names are all written on that stone._ The K.I.A. Rin, Minato, Obito. They're dead to him. We are taught to form bonds between us just to have them severed at some point, either by wars, battles or time. Or ourselves. _ And still_. And still people like Kakashi don't give up on those bonds. _ Now I sound like Naruto. _Or like advertising. _Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Bonds_. I almost snorted.

"Why…"

I looked at Sasuke's right to see a shaking Inari. _Is he crying?_ Seemed so. He still had the fishing hat on his head that he insisted to wear even inside, even during dinner.

"What?" Naruto asked rising his head from the table. _I could have sworn that he was sleeping._ His question only made the little boy explode. Well, not literally. That would have been just too random and hilarious even for me. He got on his feet and _smashed_ his hands on the table.

"Why are you trying so hard, ending up like that?" he exclaimed pointing at the dirty and tired state that Naruto was in. "You can't beat Gatō's men even if you train!"

"Someone is throwing a tantrum" I mumbled massaging my temples.

"No matter how hard you try and say those fancy words, weak people are going to lose against strong people!"

I gritted my teeth. _Is he even hearing himself talk?_ But he's only a child. Only a traumatized child who witnessed the execution of his adoptive father. A father that he considered a role model and held in the highest regard. _Sasuke, much?_ I 'pf'-ed at the last words when Inari's voice ended in a high pitch. _I don't ever want to be anywhere close this kid when he has a shouting fit._ Too late.

"Shut up. I'm different from you, dattebayo." Naruto said resting his head back on his stretched arms, using the table as a pillow, apparently.

"Shut up!" Inari shouted. "It pisses me off when I watch you! You don't know anything about this country, and you're so nosy! I'm different from you, someone who doesn't know any pain just laughs all the time!"

"What the …" I hissed staring at Inari.

"Is that why you are pretending to be the main character of a tragedy and just cry?"

I looked at Naruto baffled. _What. The. Hell?_ I couldn't believe my ears. It took me so much by surprise that what I was going to say just… dissolved in my astonishment. This was very out of character for Naruto. Or was it? _Hm. Depends._ Depends if he's talking about Inari, or himself. Because Naruto was twelve. _All three of us are twelve. _Yeah, except Inari who… eight? Or younger? I couldn't say.

"An idiot like you can just continue crying. You crybaby."

I had to stop myself from bursting into laughter. _He's right._ Yes, he was, but a harsh Naruto was weird to observe. Inari seemed taken aback by the blonde's words.

"Naruto, that's too much." Sakura scolded.

"No, he's right." I intervened. "Crying solves nothing."

I didn't continue what I wanted to say. On one side, I was really in the mood of debating this, but on the other side, the discussion would have reopened old wounds of many people present. Me included. Naruto didn't say anything else either; he just got up and walked away. _So I was right._ He _has_ been talking about himself and not Inari just now.

"Naruto…" Sakura said softly watching the blonde walk away.

"You should all rest. Tomorrow we are all going with Tazuna to guard the bridge." Kakashi said breaking the silence as Inari still sobbed unable to hold back the tears.

"Tsunami, we'll help you with the dishes and clean up." I nodded looking to both Sakura and Sasuke. _I have to keep my mind occupied. _And at the same time, I didn't want to be the only one to help Tsunami, so I was dragging the other two in this as well. _Wow, I'm such a good friend._

"You don't have to do that" Tsunami said.

"Ne, Tsunami-san, we don't mind helping" Sakura smiled.

Inari stormed outside, leaving only us six in the kitchen. I didn't register my actions, not really, just mechanically cleaned out and washed the dishes, with Sakura and the duck, while the scene played in my head over and over again. Both scenes. The arrow that I unintentionally set it on fire and Inari's outburst. The first one because it was concerning my progress with the chakra manipulation training._ Had I gathered chakra in my chest instead of arm?_ Perhaps. I have been too tired to pay proper attention, too concentrated to shoot the pine cone. I was cursing myself for not paying attention to details. Chakra control was all about details and concentration. _I have to ask Kakashi. _Yeah. Well, I could study by myself about chakra control; the Valar knew the library back in Konoha was rather ample. But, I wasn't stupid enough to think that I could do everything on my own.

I was dead to the world until I heard Sakura shift around the room and stumble on … something. The morning was slow and silent, or at least that's how I was as I ate breakfast, still half asleep and missed what Sakura said to me across the table, making everyone shift their attention to me.

"Mhm?" I said as I played with some rice.

"Sakura was talking with you Kaya, but it seems you are still half asleep" Kakashi said in a bored tone. "Perhaps you should stay here and rest today."

"No, I'm fine" I waved my hand. "I just need to wake up properly. Sorry Sakura, I didn't hear a thing you said. Where's Naruto?"

"He's still asleep" the duck scowled while the pinkie looked at me with a perplexed expression.

"Chakra exhaustion?"I guessed and Sasuke nodded. I snorted. "That idiot."

"If you're done eating, we can go to the bridge" Tazuna said enthusiastic since now it wouldn't be only Sakura guarding and observing the progress the workers did with the construction. I peaked at it while I was having lunch with Sakura the other days and I had to admit that I've never been fascinated by construction before. Until now. I nodded and I guessed so did the others, but I didn't have the energy to observe them. _I just want to sleep. _And I could. I _did_ decide to set aside training and archery for the meanwhile until my shoulder healed, and until I gathered the courage to address Kakashi concerning my problem with chakra control.

"Take care of Naruto" Kakashi said to a smiling Tsunami as we exited the house. I was dragging my feet, half tempted to leave the bow and quiver with arrows in the house. "He used his body to the max, so I think he won't be able to move for today."

"Kakashi-san, is your body feeling well now?" Tsunami inquired. _What an interpretive question._ I mentally smacked myself. My mind was perverted when I was tired. _Well, no one could blame her; Kakashi is still young and still appealing._ I shook my head _violently_. "And your shoulder, Kaya-chan"

"Yes, I am well now. Somehow." Kakashi's hesitation made me a little uneasy. _How would it be, today of all days…_ But no, we weren't that unlucky.

"We're fine, Tsunami-san" I smiled or tried to, still sleepy. "Don't worry about us."

"Bye!" Sakura said happily. _Where does she get that merry mood and energy?_

_And to think that Naruto sleeps undisturbed right now._ I shook my head. No. I this was a kind of training as well. As a shinobi, I could be on a mission for days, with little time to sleep, while receiving countless wounds and being on the run. _What the hell am I doing? _Self-motivation? To keep me awake I started humming. The walk to the bridge was one of twenty minutes or so. The city was small and we weren't exactly stopping at every house and street to explore it.

"What are you singing, Kaya-chan?"Sakura asked trying to start a conversation, as neither Sasuke or Kakashi were particularly talkative.

"Oh, it's a song about a nomad girl. It has many folklore motifs that are not from the Land of Fire" I explained delighted because it seemed to annoy the duck. _Actually, I don't think he really cares._ "Actually, I think they are from far, far away."

"From where do you know them?" Tazuna asked skeptically.

"We have a book in Konoha, this thick" I said motioning my fingers. "That has many songs from all kind of foreign cultures, countries and old times" I fabled almost surprised how convincing my own words ringed in my ears. "And my neighbor is an expert with the koto and and mukkuri."

"Really?"

Yes, I had a neighbor who played both instruments. No, I never ever talked to him. I never talked to either of my neighbors. I bidded them a 'good day' and then ignored them. But at night I would always enjoy the music coming from the apartment above mine. And by enjoying, I meant not being able to sleep for hours while gritting my teeth and making passive aggressive noises in the pipes.

"Fată verde cu părul pădure, fată verde cu părul pădure, simți cum privirea lor vrea să te fure, Noaptea-n ei țese ie, Zburătorii ca să vie, Noaptea-n ei țese ie, Nimeni urma să le-o știe." I mumbled and then grinned, satisfied that I still knew the lyrics.

We came close to the bridge and I stopped in my tracks with a strong feeling of déjà-vu. _It can't be. _Feint but surely, I could feel two persons with a considerable amount of chakra. _In case the singing didn't manage to wake me up._ Now I was widely alert of my surroundings, searching for the source of the chakra.

"Something is wrong."I said before Sakura asked why I stopped. There was an unusual silence on the bridge, no man in sight. Tazuna walked further, forcing us to follow since we were supposed to guard him. I looked at the grey jounin trying to tell him that something was definitely wrong. If Kakashi noticed my attempt, he didn't show it. But he sent me a long look and then focused back on the old man.

"What is this?!"

Tazuna's exclamation made all four of us to come to a halt. _Ah, so here's the answer to my dilemma._ The few men that worked with Tazuna were lying on the bridge some of them motionless, some of them shaking, but neither capable of making any move to get up. But there was no blood. _You don't need to stick a blade in someone to kill him._ There was that.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Tazuna continued to ask bewildered.

"Kaya" Kakashi warned.

"They're alive." I said as I took some steps ahead. "Just incapacitated." I looked around narrowing my eyes. "Someone is here."

"It can't be…" I heard Kakashi say and I returned to the others, searching our surroundings for Zabuza.

_I can't believe I didn't remember this_. I should have. I knew the confrontation was unavoidable, but it would have been nice to remember _when_. Thanks a lot, brain. As a cue to who was with us here on the bridge – ah, beside the unconscious people lying around randomly – mist started gathering and I shuddered lightly, the pain from the last time this happened alive in my shoulder. Which was my mind, really; my shoulder was tightly wrapped in bandages and healing, nothing wrong with it. Well, except of the wound which was the reason the bandage was there in the first place. _Stop ranting on the fucking wound. _Oh yeah. Zabuza.

"Sasuke, Sakura, Kaya, he's coming."

Oh yeah. We actually were that unlucky. _I knew I should have stayed in bed today._

* * *

**Please don't kill me. Because you have reasons to. One: the abrupt ending. This was a MUCH longer chapter. I just split it in two. Both the ending of this chapter and the beginning of the next one (which, btw is almost finished) are like this. They will be like Part 1 and Part 2. So yeah. I see no reason to make a proper ending for this one and a proper introductory paragraph for the next one. Second: It took me SLIGHTLY more that I intended to post this chapter. And I wanted sooooo badly to end the while Land of Waves thing in a single chapter that I delayed the day of posting it, only to decide that that wouldn't happen. Yeah. I'm mad at myself too. Also I know there are MANY things I will have to correct and I will. Once I'll post the next one, and I'll just … correct them together. Please give me credit for barely being awake and still be able to use a keyboard.**

**Also! The lyrics are a secret message for a friend who asked me about the pairing situation (underdeveloped because they're like twelve or something O_O) of the fanfic. I tried to find something EXTREMELY vague. The lyrics themselves are not very informative, but _some_ lyrics from the song, actually one (oh god, I'm _hilarious_) is. I dunno. If anyone is curious and if you actually speak the language ( SO HILARIOUS. Ha. ha .ha. this is actually sad T_T I'm pathetic, really)**

**iluvfairytale, **** I wanted to reply to your review, but I'm a technophobe and I am too tired to actually make coherent decisions right now so I will address the apparent OOC-ness of Kaya. It's not out of character. It's surviving instinct and curiosity. Some identity problems as well. Kaya doesn't know why she's alive after the Uchiha Massacre. There are some variants for that, and she wants to try them, because ****Danzō Shimura is **_fucking creepy._** If she is an Uchiha, her ****'****survival' would make no sense, because you know... Danzo wanted all Uchiha dead? And the whole deal with Itachi? Well, to put it more simple, Kaya wants to know her parents and the circumstances of her birth and not only because of the following resons:**

**1\. Danzo**

**2\. Skills ( ex: Uchiha have afinity to fire, the Sharingan etc, etc)**

**3\. Her curiosity, because she reaaaally doesn't trust any form of authority, much less trusting them with information about herself that they hide from her**

**4\. Identity. One of the reasons Kaya feels like the whole new world is not real, is because **_**she doesn't exist **_**here. Like, literally. No parents. No records. No nothing. And that's fishy. (They exist but she doesn't know yet)**

**Well I could write more but those would spoil the story, so yeah. THE KEYWORDS ARE UCHIHA AND DANZO. NUFF SAID!**

**I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, favored, followed my fanfic. You are better people than me. Like seriously. I say I will update in two weeks and it takes me almost **_**four**_**. *hiddes behind massively fat cat***

**But still, **_**I want to give you guys my whole love! **_**Ok, that's too much.**

**Catch you guys later (ish)!**

**PS: Please, please, please tell me NO ONE got the wrong idea that Kaya's eye color miraculously changed. Because it didn't. It's only her paranoia and her denial that she doesn't have the 'trademark' black Uchiha eyes, I'm NOT going to give an own character crazy physical features even though they belong to a clan/family/whatever that is known for certain features. That usually are genetically dominant too (Sarada for god's sake.) Kaya is already 'too special' with the whole chakra control thing, because she knows, as a older person (I'm avoiding to say adult because... Kaya), how to dose her efforts and concent****rate. But she has some serious shortcomings that will surface in further training. (Yay) so yeah, just to be sure, simply and briefly put, physically Kaya is a black haired girl, with black eyes, pale complexion and sharp features. But you'll never find any definite description simply because she's trying to deny that she's an Uchiha. Why? You will find out. Also you won't find descriptions about her clothes either, because everything is told from her point of view and did she ever strike you as someone to worry about clothes? Yeah, me neither. **


	14. A wild Derpina appears - Part 2

**Chapter XIV: A wild Derpina appears – Part 2 : The ice, the duck and the dodge**

_How fucking wonderful_. I reached for a kunai. _No archery._ If I ended up with my whole arm numb and shaking, I was toast. The mist came with a slight chill, or perhaps those were my nerves? Tazuna was breathing hard, scared and perhaps angry to see his men affected by this whole situation. But mostly because he was scared. _ I am scared. _ Well, yeah, but in a situation when I'm forced to face a much stronger opponent, I'd rather get over with it, whether I get killed or, by some miracle, defeat him. _To think how it would be to get stuck into a similar situation, and be unable to do anything._ To just pray for some divine being that you're not sure it even exists and pee your pants out of fear. _ What the hell is wrong with me?_ But, seriously. I glanced at Tazuna. How scared was he? Or, how powerless does he feel right now? _That means to be a civilian._ And to be involved in some ninja mess. _I would lose my mind_. Yes, I was glad I was a ninja. Despite the fact I was scared shitless and almost shaking like a rabbit. _What is this reaction?_ Killing intend? But my reaction to it was stronger than previously. _Yeah, but now I know I can die._ It was stupid, really, to say that only now I was conscious of the idea that I could die. I stretched my arm, and smiled. _Enough with the scared rabbit attitude. _Funny how I had time to think all this, while Zabuza could have killed me at any time since I was so stupid to get distracted by my own thoughts.

"Kakashi-sensei, this is the Mist Concealment technique, right?" Sakura asked still looking around, attentive to every move.

"He's not around us." I answered as Kakashi seemed still taken aback and trying to think of a strategy. _I hope._ "He's toying with us."

"How can you tell in this mist?" Sakura asked skeptical.

"I can feel his chakra." I smiled while looking ahead.

It was true. The more I used chakra the more I was aware of all those around me who could use it as well. It was like a web. Every each person and creature had a chakra system in their bodies. Or something like that. At first I thought that I was only imaging it, but the more I molded chakra and trained to control and manipulate it, the more I understood how it worked, though I lacked the technical terms and definitions. But, if I imagined the world as a chakra web, I could tell if a person, such a ninja was near without problems, due to the greater amount of chakra that person had. _How smart that sounds._ In reality, I had no idea what I was doing, but what my gut told me. Those civilian men that were standing unconscious one meter or so away from me, had chakra as well. Civilian or no, people have chakra. What makes the difference between a ninja a civilian is how they channel chakra and the considerable difference of amount. _That explains why Sakura, whose family is a civilian one, with training and learning can be a fantastic ninja._ In the future. Ok, in the next years.

"That's what you've been doing in the woods?" Kakashi asked not really curious, but at least it made me aware that we _were_ in the middle of a bridge wrapped in thick mist, with a missing-nin trying to kill us.

"Yeah." I answered still not sure what the fuck was I doing with a kunai in my hand. I wasn't incapable of using it, but neither was I fond of it. _Wow, such skill, much ninja, so strong_. _Am I thinking in memes now?_

"A sensor? Interesting. Sorry to keep you waiting, Kakashi." Zabuza's voice could be heard all around us, not giving us a clue where he was. I still stared ahead. "And you're still carrying those kids. He's shaking again, how pitiful."

_He's talking about Sasuke, isn't he?_ I didn't have time to check out and see if that was the case as Zabuza appeared right in front of me. _ Water clones._ There were seven of them around us. _Oh, look, we're in a circle. I love circles._ However, the clones weren't doing anything, so unless Zabuza was trying to needle our nerves and see our reactions, I saw no sense in his actions. _I think it's called intimidation tactics. _Which I found pointless. In his place I would have killed us in a second or try to, making Kakashi vulnerable. _Oh, so serenely thinking of how I would kill a cute genin like myself._ I was losing it, wasn't I? I heard Sasuke chuckle. _Sasuke. Chuckling._ But it wasn't the sweet and childish kind of chuckle that girls used to make back at the academy. It was darker. _Perhaps I'm not the only one?_

"I'm shaking with excitement." the duck said with a new found confidence. _He either is too arrogant or he's bull-shitting. Hard._ Well, at least one us four was optimistically about the battle's outcome.

"Go for it, Sasuke." Kakshi said on a easy-going voice, which was contrasting with the situation we were in. But, fuck it, right?

As soon as Kakashi talked, Zabuza's clones made their move. But so did Sasuke. I didn't watch the duck hoping around to slice the clones; I looked ahead where I knew the two were standing, still waiting. _Are they testing us, or something?_ Let's recap Zabuza's and Haku's status : missing-nins from the Mist, hired by Gatō to kill Tazuna to stop the construction of the bridge. Hm. They were doing a poor job, especially since Zabuza had been an ANBU like Kakahi. So they either weren't living up to their reputation or something was stinky about all this thing. _Haku_ _doesn't want to kill us._ I couldn't remember if Zabuza shared his utopic views, and if I were to judge after his actions, I would say that he didn't. Yet again, he had the chance of killing us back when Kakashi was in his water prison. _He could be one of those who likes to play with his enemy._ To the point of leting them go and get himself incapacitated? I doubted. _Something is fishy._

The water clones were gone with several splashes which sprayed my sandals. The duck landed almost in front of us. _Well, well. If it isn't the two of them._ Somewhere ahead on the bridge, two silhouettes appeared and walked towards us, until they materialized into the tall figure of the missing-nin with the butcher-knife sword and the a boy with the mask, the hunter-nin that others had encountered and were fooled by.

"He defeated the water clones." Zabuza stated as they stopped some meters away from us. "That kid got stronger."

"They were water clones…" I said tilting my head on one side not getting Zabuza's point, while the duck sent me an annoyed look. _How dare I step on Uchiha Sasuke's moment?!_

"A rival has appeared for you, Haku." Zabuza continued as if I haven't said a word.

"Your hair… is abnormally long for a guy."I commented narrowing my eyes. _And beautiful._ I've always appreciated long hair; girls or boys, it made no difference. Well, actually it did. My best friend used to say that men have healthier and thicker hair then us, and to be honest I agreed. It made sense, since in our attempt to take care of it, we actually abused it. _ Why am I debating about hair?_

"Oh. My prediction was right." Kakashi said in a sarcastic voice.

"Your prediction?" Tazuna asked confused.

"The masked guy."

"The hunter-nin, who isn't a hunter-nin?" I asked. "I like the hair though."

"Just as I thought too. Hn." Sasuke agreed, while Sakura was still surprised. _Really? Is everybody going to ignore my hair jokes?_

"So it _was _a lie that he was a hunter-nin from the Hidden Village of the Mist." Tazuna stated the obvious.

"Of course, just as _I_ implied." I said proudly. "And he's on Zabuza's side. I would wager so, anyway. "

"They're lined up nicely." Kakashi agreed unimpressed.

"Who does he think he is coming out like that?" Sakura said on a tone that if I didn't know better, I would say that Haku said something to personally offend her. But the fact was _he didn't_. He didn't say even _one_ word.

"I hate conceit kids like that" Kakashi agreed still in a mocking voice. _Oh, I see. _ This was a tactic as well.

"And by the looks of it, is silky as well." I said talking to myself out loud.

"… you're still going on about the hair, aren't you?"

"Of course!" I smiled at Sakura. "If those are his bangs, imagine the rest of the hair. It must be twice as long as mine. And thrice as thick and silky. I'm _envious_." _And I'm not even joking. _ Sakura approved of my attempt, but awkwardly.

"I'll fight him" Sasuke announced, putting an end to our barking.

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, all amusement gone from her expression. _ She looks funny. _ Her hair was straighter then I've ever seen. _ The mist. _The humidity. I was thankful that I had mine in a braid. _Although it's curlier. Weeeeird. _

"He pulled that stupid act on us." Sasuke explained.

"You're looking for an excuse just to fight him" I said, translating his words.

"You're so cool, Sasuke-kun."

"FOR THE LOVE OF THE VALAR, WOMAN. STOP BEING SO DESPERATE." Sakura looked at me with a weird expression, but I ignored her. "Duckling. You're an idiot. You don't even think about the fact that you are part of a team, or that you are on a mission to _protect_ someone." I said taking a step forward closer to him. "I'll repeat it: You look for excuses to fight that guy. Guess who's the conceit child, now?"

"I don't care about your disapproval or opinion." The duckling said annoyed.

"Then by all means: Go! I hope you die or something, since you are too ignorant to care about anything but yourself, to the point of being incapable to notice the imbalance of a confrontation one on one." I held my hands up. "I give up. You're too stupid."

"Kaya-chan!"

Sakura's exclamation and Sasuke's reaction to my speech were drowned in the sound of a FUCKING TORNADO. Well, not a tornado, just Haku coming closer, stopping somewhere to the middle of the distance between us. He was spiraling so fast that he determined the air around him to spin, creating the vertigo. I watched fascinated. _ Am I going to always be in awe when I see people use chakra?_ Because really, I was using chakra as well.

"That is awesome." I said unable to keep my mouth shut, which only annoyed the duckling even more, and he advanced determined to die young. Despite the fact that he was struggling to walk towards Haku, due to the wind the whole movement created, the duck managed to send me a smirk and a look that said 'You will see'.

I narrowed my eyes at his confidence. _He's waaay to arrogant for his own good._ But with a fast move, he managed to stop Haku from spiraling. _Senbon vs. kunai._ I watched the mist stop circling around the two. _He's still going to die. _Well not die, but…

"So, he's fast." I said and I saw Sakura turn in my direction to say something.

"Sakura, Kaya, stick with Tazuna-san and don't get too far from me." Kakashi instructed remembering that he was a jounin with a genin team. "And this time I mean it, Kaya."

I smiled at the grey haired jounin recalling that he told me not to get too far when I was disappearing in the woods. We got closer to the bridge builder. I stepped in front of him, to get a better view to the fight. Sakura sent me a startled look, but _again_, I ignored her completely. The mist was already thicker than I would have liked, switching to another position would mean to miss the fight completely. I had to force my eyes to see what was happening. _Damn Zabuza and his mist._

"We'll let Sasuke deal with him."

"He won't _deal_ with him" I said watching as the two were fighting only with senbon needles and kunai. "He's going to get himself killed."

"Have a little faith, Kaya." Kakashi said as if he knew something I didn't. _Hm. Wait a second._

"He's fast" I allowed seeing as they had matching speeds. "They both are. And they both have the same… hm, fluid and circular moves? Unless Sasuke can actually adapt to his opponent's style."

"A second ago you said he's going to get himself killed." Sakura stated looking at me with a skeptical expression.

"Yeah, well. That really depends." I smiled. _Depends whether or not he can activate the Sharingan. _ But I knew he could, because… anime.

"Sasuke-kun is amazing" the pinkie said her eyes glued on the fight.

"Um, Sakura, I think Kakashi said to protect Tazuna. We shouldn't let our guard down." _Just shut up and let me watch the fight already, woman._

"Y-yes, of course!"

_Ok._ _This is weird_. Why? Because Zabuza's and Haku's objective was to kill Tazuna, not to play around with a team of genins. Admittedly, Kakashi was a jounin, but still they were _missing the point of their mission._ _What's happening?_ And now Zabuza was watching the fight between the duckling and Haku like a concerned sensei. Actually, like Kakashi-_sensei_, which despite the calm appearance, I could see him worrying about the outcome. I watched Haku talk to Sasuke, because that's what you do in a life or death confrontation. Chit-chat with your opponent telling him how you don't want to kill them._ Wait, what?_ Haku has been dodging Sasuke's attacks with one hand, while now he raised his hand to…_ WHAT?_

"Seals… with one hand." I said watching every seal Haku was forming with his left hand. The duckling seemed taken aback just as much as I was. "I can't believe it. Kakashi, is that even possible?"

"I've never seen anyone do that before." Kakashi admitted in consternation.

"That boy… is dangerous." I said narrowing my eyes as mist emerged around the two from the bridge it seemed. _ Wasn't there water from the clones?_ Oh. OH. It was _that_ jutsu. _ Well, this was fast._

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted _again_.

"Needles. Ice needles." I looked at the deathly tiny things coming down on the two with great speed. _And now we shall see how fast Sasuke really is. _At this stage, at least. Surely enough, Sasuke managed to avoid them and actually get behind Haku. That's how I was reminded why Sasuke was the best rookie out of the nine._ Te now, with me._ He actually managed to beat Haku when it came to speed.

"Not bad, duckling." I said smiling. "I admit. You're fast."

"Looks like my speed's better." Sasuke smirked smugly at Zabuza as Haku came flying to his feet.

"You can't make fun of our team just because we have children" Kakashi said nonchalantly. "Sasuke is Konoha's top rookie. Sakura is the village's shrewdest child. Kaya is the most promising archer the village has seen in a long time. And sensor, it would seem" he cast me a pointy look. "And the other one is… the show-off, hyperactive number one loudest ninja in the village."

"Creature" I interjected. "Loudest creature in the village. And I'm not part of the team." But I did smile at the grey-haired. "Now, how on earth did the duckling suddenly became that fast. He wasn't _that_ fast before."

Kakashi sent me a look but did not say anything. _It's something I should be able to know? How?_ Then I remembered that Haku wasn't the only one forming seals._ The training!_ Molding and concentrating chakra to the legs, not only to climb trees but to increase your speed as well. _ How did I not think about this before? _Because I'm stupid, stupid, stupid. Zabuza must have thought the same because he started laughing. _Wait, no, that has nothing to do with me._

"Haku, do you realize? At this rate we'll be driven back." the missing-nin said with a dark tone and mocking as well. _Is he telling Haku to cut the crap, or something?_ This was bad.

"Sasuke he's using _ice_. I do think you know what that means." I said and the duck sent me a look then he turned back to Zabuza and Haku. _Oh Sasuke, so fucking expressive._

"Huh?" Sakura inquired. _She_ _didn't inquire; she just made a penguin sound._

"Yeah. We can't have that." Haku said getting up. _ Is he molding chakra in the water and air?_ Well, yeah, ice much? "It's a shame."

"That's… cold air." Sasuke stated like the idiotic duckling he was.

"It's not only _air, _you idiotic duck. Have you ever read _a book_ about chakra? That's…"

And a wild ice mirror appeared. I forgot to finish my sentence. I just stared at the mirrors that were forming around the startled duckling. I felt my blood freeze in my veins. _This is so… beautiful_. I shook my head. This wasn't supposed to be beautiful; this was a deathly jutsu of which I _tried_ to warn the Uchiha about. The water from Zabuza's clones was rising in icy mirrors, trapping Sasuke inside a sort of prison. _This… is like water bending _…_ I AM NOT IN AVATAR!_

"Special Jutsu. Demonic Ice Mirrors" Haku said as we all stared at the ice mirrors that were trapping Sasuke. Haku just took some steps into one of the mirrors._ What the… that's wrong._ That was so wrong.

"Damn it" Kakashi said and started ahead, but Zabuza appeared in front of him.

"I'm your opponent, remember?" Zabuza said amused. "He's a goner now that Haku has used that technique."

"Sakura stay close to Tazuna." I told the pinkie. "This is bad."

There was some… sounds coming from the ice mirror prison and then the unmistakable voice of the duckling. He even had the courtesy of throwing us a kunai to let us know how overwhelmed he was by the situation, as he couldn't hold that kunai any longer.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi shouted alarmed by his student's yells of pain.

"Rectification: This is _very_ bad." I said again, trying to see something through the thickness of the mist. I could see Kakashi and Zabuza, who _surprisingly_, _still_ didn't attack us properly. And then I could see the whole iced thing and… _oh, is that blood? _Yeah, I guessed that was Sasuke's blood on the concrete of the bridge. _Ok. Well, no, this isn't ok, but yeah, whatever. _

"If you try to get by me, I'll kill those three." Zabuza threatened with a deadly voice.

"Tazuna-san, sorry I'll leave you here with Kaya-chan for a moment." Sakura said in the most serious voice I've ever heard her.

"Yeah. Go!" Tazuna agreed getting her point.

"What? Are you still mad at me because I told Sasuke to die and that's why you're not talking to me directly?" I asked annoyed. "Also what the hell do you think…?"

She just took Sasuke's kunai and threw it somewhere in the space between the mirrors. Of course Haku caught it, but he didn't see the shuriken coming straight at him. It made him fall from the mirror, right on his face. _Ah. Finally. _I could see Sasuke somewhere on the ground really badly cut… everywhere. _Well, that not exactly a floor… _shut the fuck up, mind. Then an explosion happened and from the smoke appeared a very orange, very _short _and blonde…

"Uzumaki Naruto has finally arrived!"

"EMPHASIZE ON _FINALLY_ YOU FREAKING IDIOT!"

_What the hell is wrong with me? _But I had to admit that I was rather relieved to finally see the ridiculously orange outfit of Jesus Naruto. I noticed the fact that he was a little worn out. _Been in a fight just before arriving here, blondie?_ Then I remembered that something was supposed to happen back at home with Tsunami and Inari. Oh, well.

"Now that I'm here, everything will be just fine." the blonde said and I remarked amused that I could see his whiskered face through the mist almost clearly, but not Sasuke's crouched form inside the ice prison.

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed for the first time _not _in annoyance.

"The main character of a story usually appears in situations like these and …kick the enemy's ass!"

"Oh my va-have you ever heard of the element of surprise?!" I say still in a irritated voice.

"Alright, let's do this!"_ …is he ignoring me as well?_ "Kage Bunshin no – "

"Naruto!"

Thankfully, the shuriken Zabuza threw did not hit the blonde, as Haku's senbon and my kunai collided with them. Obviously, I had to change my position and jump a little, wasting two kunai, but I walked calmly back to Tazuna, confirming my suspicion that neither Tazuna or Haku wanted to kill the old man, which was rather odd. For a few seconds, Kakashi was distracted; Tazuna was alone with no one around but Sakura who was an easy obstacle. But, Zabuza made no move to kill him, contrasting with the attitude he had shown at our first encounter. _ Something is definitely wrong. _

"How lucky that the enemy's attacks collided one with the other, and that Kaya-chan was very fast to react." Tazuna said oblivious.

"What are you doing, Naruto?!" Sakura's indignation was rightly directed this time.

"Oi! What kind of idiot tries to execute a technique right in front of the enemy?" Kakashi scolded. "A ninja's essence lies within deception. It relies on your ability to deceive your enemy. When you execute a technique, you must still do it while the enemy is not looking. You must take them by surprise, and think beyond the normal boundaries. The way you appeared back there only makes you practice target."

"WHY?" I started "Why are you keeping a ninja lesson in the middle of a fight, in which one of your students it's trapped in a weird unknown jutsu, being cut to slights, while the other missing-nin is attacking your other student? It makes no sense! And why isn't anyone pointing out that their attacks didn't collide, but that the masked guy with nice hair saved Naruto?" I inhaled deeply. "Seriously, people, sort your priorities!"

"Haku, what is the meaning of this?" Zabuza asked icily.

"Zabuza-san, these kids… let me fight them my way." Haku said on his androgynous voice. _Really now, what isn't androgynous at this guy?_ Even his clothes screamed confused sexual orientation.

"So you don't want me to interfere? You're as soft as always…"

"Have you finished your bonding moment?"I asked taking hold of my bow. _To hell with my shoulder._ I put an arrow in my string and pulled. "Sorry to step on your moment but I have a clan mate in that jutsu."

I released the arrow in Haku's direction, but he was too fast and my arrow almost got into one of the mirrors if it wasn't for Haku's senbon needles. _Damn. _A kunai came from the prison but Haku was able to doge it.

"I haven't forgotten about you" he said talking to Sasuke, obviously.

"Uh? Sasuke?!"

"Oh my valar… When I said clan mate did he think about Zabuza or what?" I almost facepalmed and Sakura looked as perplexed as I did at the blonde's exclamation.

"Kaya-chan, back then you warned Sasuke about the ice needles… did you know about this technique?" Sakura asked almost accusingly. I sighed, reaching for another arrow and stretching my shoulder as I already felt it itch. _And this mist is getting in my bones._

"No. But ice involves the combination of ice and water. You can't combine elements… unless…"

"Unless it's a kekkei genkai" Kakashi finished looking at Zabuza.

"A kekkei genkai?" Tazuna asked not familiar with the term.

"A deep blood lineage…superior genealogy. It's a jutsu passed down by your ancestors." Kakashi explained, but this time he kept it briefly.

"Like the Sharingan." I commented happily. _So that icy thing can be attacked from the outside. Now, if I or Naruto attack from the outside and Sasuke from the inside…_

And just as I was thinking this, trying to get the curly strands of black hair from my eyes, Naruto barged into prison with full speed. _WHAT THE FUCK?!_ I couldn't see what was happening in there, but I could only imagine the duckling's face. Oh. _Well, two idiots facing death together. Teamwork_. Yay. _This is frustrating._ Not being able to do anything, but to observe. I did see the fires swallowing one of the mirrors… but with no effect.

"Well, he did try" I said.

"Was that Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked enthusiastically.

"Do you think Naruto can mingle with fire?" I asked on a dry voice. "Uchiha have an affinity for fire."

"Really?"

"No, I'm just inventing stories to pass the time." I answered sarcastically putting another arrow in the string as the two idiots were assaulted with senbon needles by the sounds coming from Haku's jutsu.

"Uchiha?" Zabuza asked intrigues. "That kid is an Uchiha? And you as well, girl?" he continued on a amused chilly voice. "This surely _is_ interesting. If you release the arrow, the pink haired girl and the old man die."

"You still have to pass Kakashi and I wish you luck with that." I said raising my bow.

"Kaya lower your bow."

I looked at Kakashi with a puzzled expression. But his voice was final and the look he sent me was dead serious. So, I gritted my teeth and lowered my bow, sending Zabuza a death glare.

"Damn it."

"Sasuke-kun! Naruto-kun! Don't lose to a guy like that!" Sakura shouted to encourage the two, which was retarded from my point of view because they weren't fighting to win anything, but to stay alive. _Or that would be the case if this were a real fight._ I wasn't buying into the whole 'let's kill the bridge builder' anymore. This was different.

"Stop Sakura. Don't goad them" Kakashi said dangerously calm. "Even if there's a one-in-a-million change to overcome that technique, they can't defeat that boy."

"What do you mean?"

Sakura's question made Zabuza laugh, which sent chills down my spine. _Ha, never take your eyes from a archer._ I released my arrow and Zabuza moved from its direction, but barely as it grazed his cheek.

"Huh? What have I told you about shooting?" he asked calmly, but did not make another move, because Kakashi was ready to interfere.

"You never said anything about not shooting at you."I said. "And honestly talking, you are at disadvantage, Zabuza. With Kakashi so close to you and me with a bow and arrows. You need to get close to kill either me and Sakura while I have the advantage of distance and speed."

"That is correct, but only if you are faster than me." He said and I couldn't say if he was smiling or not, because his mouth just like Kakashi's, was covered. "But you won't kill me, even if that is the case. You don't have the mental strength to kill me. Neither of you, kids, do. That is why those two will die. They can't suppress their emotions and kill someone."

"Perhaps you're right about them. But you're wrong about_ me_." I said putting another arrow in the string. "We are shinobi. _We have no emotions_."

"Kaya, guard Tazuna with Sakura" Kakashi said his hand on his head protector._ Guard Zabuza with Sakura so I can fight, huh? _ I nodded.

"The Sharingan, eh? How unoriginal."

Well, it seems this time Zabuza was rather fast and got the right idea, because he went for Kakashi's eye only to be stopped by the grey's jounin hand. _The blade stopped in his hand_. And it seemed that both of them were suffering from the same syndrome of talking about memories and taunting each other. However, this was not my fight. This was Kakashi's. All I had to do was be attentive at my surrounding and shoot down any threat, protecting the client, like a good archer and genin that I was. _But if I find an opening…_ I knew I would repeat exactly what I did the first time we had been attacked. The mist got thicker and thicker, to the point that I couldn't see a meter ahead of me. But I could _feel_. Chakra. That was the key word.

"What was that?" Sakura asked getting closer as the visibility was getting low.

"Just Sasuke and Naruto getting turned to scrapes" I said happily. "Kakashi and Zabuza trying to impale each other. You know, the usual."

"You're in a good mood" commented Tazuna.

"Yeah, killing and genocide usually does that to me, ask the Uchiha clan. Oh, wait."

Both Tazuna and Sakura sent me worried looks but didn't say anything about it. Something bothered me about this mist as well. So thick that the visibility almost dropped to zero. _No human being can see through this mist. _And Zabuza was a human just as us … was he making guesses as I was? Because that's what I was doing. I was guiding myself after the sounds and chakra that I could feel. My skill wasn't refined or at least properly trained because, after a certain distance I couldn't feel anyone, only if I forced myself, something similar to concentrating to catch a whisper in a huge room from the other side of it. It was exhausting, so I wasn't stupid enough to try that. I needed to concentrate on my immediate surroundings to protect Tazuna. And as I was thinking this, I turned myself around only to see the missing-nin running towards us with that _thing_, determined to have a slice of Tazuna. Kakashi appeared right in front of him, as he prepared to let the sword cut through the air. I had no idea how Kakashi got there so fast, but I wasted no time. _And Sakura screamed._ And then it was Zabuza's turn.

"Kaya…-chan?"

"Girl… you…"

"Fire" I said putting yet another arrow in the string, smirking. "_Is_ the _Uchiha_ trademark element."

Zabuza's right shoulder was badly burn, but he took the arrow out in time to avoid further damage. _So… that happens if I put too much chakra in it and blow air on it. _Well, something like that. It was more to it than _blowing air on it_, but I didn't bother to find a logical explanation just yet. The missing-nin clutched at his crispy shoulder, now black giving away a smell of rotten flesh. And pork.

"Nature transformation, eh? And to be able to control it this well…" Zabuza said trying to flex his burned fingers.

"I _can't_ control it." I said pointing at his hand. "You're my lab rat."

"Why you…"he said through gritted teeth and looked at me with an angered expression, his eyes stopping on my shoulder. "You use bold words… but you won't last long."

"Kaya-chan…"

I didn't know what either Zabuza or Sakura saw when they looked at my shoulder, but I did feel a hot little stream running down my left side and my hand shivered with the effort of holding the bow. _I should never hold an arrow in the string too long._ Because the arms will start cramping with the effort of holding the bow and arrow in place. The arms have to be perfectly stretched forming an uninterrupted line and the legs firmly on the ground. If you held the arrow in the string too much, your arms will get tired and when released, the arrow will fly randomly. _Shit. Shit. Shit. _That was why I've been working on my speed of shooting. We were ninja, shinobi who moved so fast that the naked eye couldn't register our movement. Even an excellent archer would imminently die if he can't see what he shoots. _ And yet again I arrive at the Sharingan problem. _

"You are seriously underestimating us aren't you?" I said while the bow started trembling as if I had Parkinson or something. "Even like this, I can still shoot you, and if I fail then you will _burn_ anyway." Because even if I only grazed him… _pine cone_. "And the fight over there, won't be taking much longer either."

"Don't be so confident."Zabuza laughed. "You took me by surprise. The same trick won't work on me twice. And you don't have the Sharingan… or you would have used it already. As for those two… Haku will beat those kids soon, so there's no need to worry about them." he lift his sword. "Cry and apologize to them about your lack of power in the other world."

His laugh remained in the air like smoke as he disappeared in mist. I lowered my bow and let my arms rest. _His not around_. And still he was. We were trapped in this mist as much as Naruto and Sasuke were trapped in Haku's jutsu. _This is going just as they planned. We have to do something._ I needed to get to Haku. I needed to get to him before Kakashi did.

"Sasuke-kun is going to get beaten?" Sakura asked speaking each word at a time. Then she shook her head, much like I did whenever I wanted to get an idea out of my head. "No, that won't happen. Sasuke-kun won't... lose to a guy like that! Naruto too!"

"Exactly." Both of us turned to Kakashi, but we couldn't see his face. "I believe in their strength. Naruto's determination, and Sasuke is the offspring of the Leaf's most outstanding clan."

"He's right in front of us." I said. "Right there."

"That goes for Haku as well." Zabuza said as the mist dissipated enough to let us see him. He had the unharmed hand on the hilt of the sword. I snatched an arrow and put it on the string pulling gently, enough to fit it, but not raising my bow. "No one has been able to defeat Haku's master technique. No one. Now then, I guess I'll put an end to this too."

Then he disappeared again. _He just… enjoys to show off and be mysterious._

"Kaya" Kakashi talked after Zabuza vanished. "If Zabuza gets close, you shoot.. Sakura stay close to Tazuna." he stood in front of us his eyes seizing the mist with great distaste and determination. I smiled. _Sasuke was right. This **is** exciting. _

Then Kakashi run in the mist and soon enough we couldn't see him anymore. I looked around with a chilling feeling that something was wrong. I shook my head and came closer to Tazuna and Sakura, weary of the mist that seemed to be just as thick as before. Would I be fast enough to shoot Zabuza again? Perhaps, but he used water jutsu and I could barely control my chakra when it created flames around the arrow. For fuck's sake, all I did was setting flames to the arrow. _Not really impressive. _As for fire jutsu… I knew _none_.

The pain came like a blow to the stomach. For a second I thought that my attention and apparent sensorial abilities failed me and Zabuza managed to get pass Kakashi. But no, it was only a huge pressure. Too overwhelming, and my legs almost gave in. _What is this?_ All the cells in my body screamed to flee, to run, to get away from there while wanting to collapse at the same time. _This is chakra_. But _this much_? And it wasn't organized and flowing harmoniously, but wild, chaotic, explosive, demonic almost._ Is this…?_

"Do you feel that?"I whispered to Sakura. "That… chakra?"

"That is chakra?" Sakura asked just as mindfucked as I was. "It's… _immense_."

"No…" I said taking a step forward. "That doesn't cover it."

"Kaya, where are you going? Kakashi-sensei s-"

"Sasuke and Naruto are in danger" I cut her off. "I have to get to them."

"S-Sasuke-kun is in danger? But your shoulder is-"

"I'm fine. Stay here. Tazuna needs you here." I looked at the old man with an awkward need to apologize, but I didn't have time to hesitate.

I stormed off through the mist. I could feel the others around. _Just like a chess table._ Let's see if I was faster than Zabuza. _The perfect moment to try out Sasuke's idea with channeling chakra in the legs for speed_. I had the advantage of knowing where he was, while he didn't know where I was until I passed close to him. And so I did. Just like the tree climbing training, I made the seal and molded chakra in my legs, then stormed pass the missing-nin in less than a heartbeat. I felt my legs extremely light. I didn't want to be caught up in their fight. _Kakashi won't be happy to know that I have disobeyed his orders. Again._ Of course not, but it wasn't like he could actually _do_ something about it. _Only if I would get there on time._ I stopped abruptly, narrowing my eyes. _Why… why did it stop? _Just as sudden as the chakra of the Nine Tails erupted into this thick mist, it disappeared. _Then Naruto and Haku…_ Hm. It was funny. I was standing in the middle of the bridge unable to see anything. I could feel Kakashi's chakra wavering and I knew he was doing… something. Just like I could feel Zabuza's chakra all around because of the mist. Interesting discovery. I started walking in the direction I knew Naruto, Haku and Sasuke were. _I wonder if they are talking_? Because half of the people Naruto ever fought had to go through his talk-no-jutsu. I looked around to see that Tazuna's men were still unconscious. And that we started a fight with them lying randomly around. We had been careless. What if we accidentally harmed them? They were alive, all of them, their chakra weak, as civilians usually had, but burning lively. I scrutinized the forms I could see through the mist. Two of them. _Aha. My time to barge in._ I smiled and inhaled deeply.

"Shinobi are not tools!"

I emerged from the mist into the small space between Naruto and Haku. _Ha. So they __**were **__talking about Haku's childhood. Yay for me. _ They both looked at me startled. Haku's mask had fallen to the ground, broken and shattered, much like the splinters of ice that laid everywhere, including on his clothes and hair. Naruto looked… surprisingly good. His clothes were torn and had whole in them, but the blonde seemed to have no wound. _That must be the Nine Tails chakra. _Without doubt. I was still holding my hands each in the direction of the two, as if trying to get between them.

"Well" I said as I looked at the surprised faces of each of them. "This is awkward."

"Kaya-chan! You are alright!" Naruto said smiling, but it faded and he looked to the ground and his expression became bitter.

"Yeah. So is Sakura. For now." I said still not moving from my spot.

"You…"

I turned to Haku with a brow arched.

"You are from the same clan as that boy…" Haku said. _ His eyes._ They were void of any emotion. Dead. I turned to Naruto's direction, but looked pass him to where Sasuke was. _Ok. That looks… bad._ There were needles everywhere. And blood, but considering the amount of needles, the little stain of blood said something about the one who inflicted them. Haku was skilled. _What the fu – he could have killed him, there is nothing to admire! _ But he didn't. And yet, to have so many things embedded in your flesh… I flinched at the thought. Naruto avoided my gaze._ Not now. Not here._ I had the urge to take a step forward and to not stop until I reached the duckling. _Haku first._ I swallowed the air tainted with blood and metal. The duckling was alright. Just not conscious. _But how that looks, though. _Like a corpse. Because the duck was already pale. The blood and needles did nothing to compliment his look. _But first things first_. I turned back to Haku.

"He is… I'll deal with that later." Haku looked at me with a spark of confusion and I saw Naruto look up at me. "I heard you. You truly think you are a weapon? A tool? Do you really want to die?"

_Lies. Lies everywhere. Because I can really tell people from this world that I know everything that's going to happen. Indeed._

"I am useless now. I have no purpose." he looked at Naruto, referring to something that they have been talking about. "You should kill me. I killed your friend."

"Killing you would be too kind for that." I said acidly. "So tool, tell me, you are useless because you are broken? Is that it? Haven't you been broken before? The best weapons are made from shards of old ones." _Oh, listen to me, so metaphorical._ "But that doesn't matter. You are a huge… liar."

Naruto made a weird sound behind me. _Is that what humans sound like when they are surprised?_ I guessed so. Haku looked dead into my eyes with something I couldn't decipher. Something mixed, like sadness, hopelessness and hurt. _This sounds like a badly written romance. Oh, no, no, you got my idea completely wrong._ I didn't want his pain, I didn't want his hurt. Nope.

"You love your mentor. You love Zabuza. I know it. Fuck your assassination mission. You are Zabuza's tool. And pupil. You would gladly give your life for him. And the sad part is that he would do the same."

"You don't understand. We are shinobi…"

"You are idiots." I stated blankly. "Shinobi? Shinobi have honour, have principles, and ideas. You are missing-nins. You have turned rogue. You belong nowhere. You are… free."

"Free…?"Haku said the word like it tasted weirdly on his tongue. "Freedom does not truly exist."

"Yeah, we could carry a nice conversation about that topic enjoying a nice cup of tea, after we convince Zabuza to abandon the mission Gatō hired him for." I said gesticulating through the air. "Because if he doesn't, he will meet his death. Both of you will." _That _got a reaction out of Haku. He looked at me with something near fear and anger written all over his face, but all that was wrapped in a icy feeling. _ Well, that did sound like a threat to Zabuza's life._

"What do you mean?"

"Haku, are you fond of Gatō? Because I doubt he is fond of you. You failed to kill Tazuna. Twice. And Zabuza is _much_ stronger that the people he hires to do his dirty work. Do you truly think he will allow Zabuza to live even if he succeeds in his mission? He will find a way to get rid of him, one way or another. Sure, Zabuza is strong, but he's not invincible and once you are dead... well, you get my point." I inhaled and wanted to grimace. I could taste blood on my tongue. "You have to live. If not for yourself then for Zabuza. You owe him that, I get it. But whether is Kakashi or Gatō that kills him, Zabuza _will_ die. Unless we stop him. And stop Gatō. Don't you see it? Shinobi fighting shinobi for a cause that doesn't involve shinobi? Come on, don't tell me you don't see the advanteges Gatō has in this. "

Haku said nothing. He continued to stare at me like the gates of Wonderland opened. He then looked at the ground, but his hands were in tight fists. So tight that his knuckles went white. _He does hate Gatō._ Good.

"I will never allow anyone to harm Zabuza-san."

I smiled widely. _Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas._ Haku's determination was contrasting with the apathetic demeanor he showed earlier. Then the realization hit me.

"Kakashi-sensei!" I shouted and sprinted pass Haku.

I took out a kunai. _Damn it._ If only I had Haku's speed. _I have to arrive in time._ Or else my whole plan was pointless. _What plan?_ It was more of a sketch. I could hear the chirping of Raikiri before seeing its bluish color. The mist did not help.

"Kakashi! You can't – … Are those dogs?" I asked looking at a badly shaped Zabuza who was immobilized by … dogs. Seriously. Dogs. Many dogs. Biting Zabuza's arms, legs and back, keeping him in place. _Summoning_. Oooook.

"Kaya, I told you to stay with Sakura and Tazuna." His voice was surprisingly calm, but his tone not so. _ Time, I have to buy time._ I could feel everybody's eyes on me.

"Yeah. She's doing a pretty good job by herself." I smiled nervously Sakura's and Tazuna's direction._ The mist is fading._ Was Zabuza growing out of chakra? "But I'm here to talk to Zabuza."

"Kaya, what are you doing?" Sakura asked on her high pitched voice with indignation. "Huh? Naruto, you're alright! Wait, why is that boy coming with you? He's the enemy!"

"No he isn't."I shook my head. " Well, maybe he is, but if you just let me explain…"

"Where is Sasuke-kun?"

"Oh, for the vala's name…"

"Naruto, where is Sasuke-kun?"

_Brace yourselves. Dramatic scene commences_.

"He's dead. Right there. You should go and guard his body… or something."I said bored.

"No…"

"I'll go as well." Tazuna offered taking in the pinkie's shocked face. _She didn't even react to me morbid jape._"That way you won't break your teacher's orders."

That's all the pinkie had to hear. She took Tazuna by the hand and rushed to where Sasuke was still unconscious. _ Well, this wastes enough time, without much of my help._ I loved when things were going in my favor. _ The mist is clearing._

"Zabuza" I started.

"Haku, why are these kids still alive?"

"_I_ am talking to you now, Zabuza"I said, as Haku already lowered his eyes. The only thing I needed now, was to give Haku second thoughts. Somewhere in the background Sakura screamed.

"Have you changed your ideals, Haku? Are you betraying me?" Zabuza continued ignoring me. "Are you having a change of heart?"

"Haku would never betray you!"Naruto's voice exploded. "He… he really likes you – "

"Loves you" I corrected, but did not stop him, seeing as everyone was determined not to let me talk.

"Haku is my tool" Zabuza explained simply and shoot the boy in question a dark look. "Or was."

"Do you really feel nothing else about him?!"_ This is getting weeeeird._ The blonde was fuming, while Haku had a desolate expression.

"It's alright, Naruto-kun. He is right."

"No he isn't! He threw away his life for you! He's still doing this! He has no dream of himself. He… he loves you that much! And you say that you only see him as your tool?! He would sacrifice his life to save yours!"

"Naruto" Kakashi warned as the blonde took some steps forward, but I grabbed him by the collar and dragged him backwards. "Kaya, Naruto, stay out of this. This is my fight."

"No. This isn't a fight. This is a problem of ethics and principles. One that doesn't need to end in blood." I talked looking over to Haku who was still gazing at the concrete. "Haku didn't want to fight us. Or at least not kill us. He's only living to make you happy, Zabuza. To help you." I avoided saying 'be your tool'. _I think Naruto make a point out of that_. "In a world of filth, where shinobi like you or influential men like Gatō live and where families are wiped out, children killed... to have a pure soul is rare. To have a pure soul and to be a shinobi, is nearly impossible. You are using Haku's abilities for your own purposes, just as Gatō uses yours for his. It's a chain of never ending slavery for the power, without understanding power. It's ridiculous, really."

"…is this true Haku? Is this how you truly feel?"Zabuza asked. _Well, this isn't random at all._ Having dogs biting into your limbs and back while talking some weird shit that seem to have a tinge of homo-erotic theme. Haku looked up slowly and his face relaxed into a timid smile.

"Yes, Zabuza-san."

"I do not know how you managed to convince Haku with this sweet talking" Zabuza said "But I'm not forcing Haku into anything. He is free to do as he pleases."

"No he isn't."I replied fast, because I anticipated his reply and Haku's shocked face announced nothing good. "He is chained to the attachment he developed toward you. Love, to put it simply. _And you are just the same as he is_. Because you love him just as much. Because we cling so desperately to the only pure things in our lives. Kindness, above all. "

_There is no mist._ Zabuza looked at me like I was mad. _ This is what I've been waiting for. Thank whatever powers lay up there for giving me time._ Because I could feel on the bridge at least twenty people and I knew who it was.

"Girl, with that way of thinking you will get killed before you understand that shinobi-"

"Oh, I see you've gotten beaten really badly."

That voice made Sakura's seemed pretty bearable now. On the bridge a man who had balding tendencies appeared with some other men. Mercenaries, of course. He was holding a stick and had a broken arm as he was wearing a cast. _ Those sun glasses though._ So this… was Gatō. I smirked, pleased with how things turned out.

"Gatō, what are you doing here?" Zabuza asked narrowing his eyes.

"I'm disappointed Zabuza." Gatō continued. _Fifty. Not twenty. _There were fifty men at least who stood by him._ This is not good._

"What is with these men?" Zabuza inquired further. Kakashi's Raikiri disappeared. There was no need to waste chakra. _Um… shouldn't he tell us what to do? _Well, in his defense, we _never did _what he told us to, so yeah.

"We had a little change in plans" Gatō laughed. "I'm sorry Zabuza, but you're going to die here."

"What?!"

"You will not do such a thing." Haku said getting in front of the missin-nin._ They are both missing-nins._

"Ha. I see your tool is here with you. If I rented an official ninja, it would cost me a lot of money. So, I rented an exiled ninja like you." Gatō explained with a great impression that what he did was a smart thing. "If you ninja just killed each other, it would have saved me trouble and money."

"You must be joking" I said running my hand through the strands that escaped the braid.

"There's so many of them… Who are they?!" Naruto seemed as confused as I was. _Well, I'm not exactly confused._

"Kakashi, I'm sorry but the fight ends here."

"Huh?" I said as I watched Zabuza try to get rid of the dogs holding him still.

"Since I have no reason to kill Tazuna, I lost the reason to fight you."

"Yeah. You're right." Kakashi agreed and the dogs disappeared with a sound that reminded me of how clones usually get dismissed.

"Haku, I...understand." Zabuza said looking to the boy. "I need to understand more, however. I always knew you were too kind."

"We're having tea and discuss as long as you want" I interfered "_if_ we get out alive of here."

Zabuza sent me a look that made my big mouth shut up. _But it did seemed almost friendly._ … Yeah, no.

"Why would they want to fight us?! We aren't involved in their deal!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Ah, that would be just, hm, good business." I answered smiling. "You did hear them when he said 'if you ninja just killed each other, it would have saved me trouble and money' right?"

"It seems that even if we want to stay out of this…" Kakashi said coming close to where I and Naruto stood "… we can't."

"Right." I said getting hold of a kunai. I grimaced.

"Kakashi-sensei, don't you have a technique that can just beat them all at once?" Naruto asked with his innocent naïve face, looking at the grey haired Jounin.

"There is no such thing Naruto." I rolled my eyes. "Isn't there?"

Kakashi really looked like he intended to answer my question, until an improvised arrow landed just before the army of mercenaries. _Oh_. Both Naruto and Kakashi looked at me. _ Seriously?!_

"Anyone who gets any closer to this island will die facing the force of it!"

I smiled and turned to see Inari with a crossbow and the villages with improvised weapons. Even Tsunami was there. _ Finally. _Finally the people of the Land of Waves were fighting their oppressor. _ Fighting is all they have left._

"Inari!" Naruto exclaimed excited.

"Heroes are supposed to come late." The little boy giggled sheepish

"Friends of yours?" Haku asked amused

"Yeah. They're finally here." I smiled getting the hair out of my eyes.

"Alright! I'll help too!" Naruto said and set his fingers in a familiar seal. "Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"

I looked at Naruto as he created five clones. _So much stamina._ It was scary, really. Zabuza seemed a little worn out after facing Kakashi, while Haku's cheek was bruising nicely. Hm, so Naruto and Sasuke really managed to land a hit on him? _Most likely Naruto._ Yeah. However, I was grateful that the mist was gone. I took a look around at the men Gatō brought with him and then to the angered villagers. _ I think that us five alone would be enough to take care of them._ But for artistic impression, the villagers did well. _Bravo! _And why not use archery after all? I took took hold of my bow. _I don't have enough arrows._ But it didn't matter. An arrow could be an efficient weapon even in close combat, without wasting a second. _If one knows how to use it._ I smiled widely. Time to practice on moving targets as well.

As if we had a secret signal or something we synchronized when attacking, although Zabuza seemed determined to get to Gatō, while we crashed with the mercenaries. At that point I lost sight of Naruto, Kakashi or Haku. And I lost count of how many people I stabbed, hit, shoot and pushed around. They. Were. Many. But so were we. And Gatō's men seemed to be seriously scared of Zabuza. _Well, I'm scared of Zabuza as well. _ But now the missing-nin seemed to be truly enjoying slashing through these men, like a real demon. _Hence the nickname._ Somewhere around I could hear Naruto saying something and even Raikiri?_ That settles it. _As soon as they noticed that their leader was dead, and that five shinobi alongside a real army of determined villagers were upon them, Gatō's men dispersed and ran. Well, perhaps because Kakashi and Zabuza seemed to be serious about butchering them all to bits. _Yeah. Perhaps._ Until I knew it, our opponents disappeared and all that remained around were those too wounded to run, the dead, the people from the village and us five. _I didn't have time to even register the whole fight. _Only bits. Like a pierced shoulder, a slashed gut, the crack of bones, the blood staining the concrete. And my own blood streaming down my left elbow. _I must take care of my shoulder. _Later.

The illusion that the time stopped, disappeared. It was like getting out of deep water. I was painfully aware of my surrounding again. _The sun._ It was shining again around like a huge ball of white fire. But this time, the heat didn't bother me. It warmed me, like I had been staying in cold water too much. I put the arrow I had been holding and that was covered in blood back in the quiver. Then I stared at my hands, all covered in blood and with little slights. _Had I really just killed some men?_ They were no match for even genin like myself. They've been slow and clumsy in their movement compared to how easily I moved around knowing exactly where to point the arrow or were to slash.

"Kaya-chan! You are hurt!"

I turned around to see Naruto blinking at me and pointing to my shoulder. I looked at it and grimaced when I saw the blood. _This was to be expected._ I put the bow around me and approached the blonde. Around were the people Inari gathered that seemed to be alright, with one or two casualties, but all of them were happily talking with each others, drunk with the adrenaline of the battle.

"I'm fine" I said. "The wound just reopened, but I'll be fine. You are ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" the blonde said grinning.

I nodded and walked pass him. _I need to get to him._ I continued walking and saw Haku and Zabuza looking a little uncomfortable and out of place since they tried to kill Tazuna and all the villagers were here on the bridge. _Which should remind everybody…_ I walked away from all of them and approached Sakura and Tazuna.

The pink haired girl was still sobbing on top of Sasuke, while Tazuna looked miserably at her. I frowned. _Wasn't Sasuke supposed to wake already?_ Tazuna looked at me with a sad expression and even pity._ He even has tears in his eyes for god's sake. _I looked at the duckling again. _Urgh. He looks bad._ With all those needles everywhere. But I could feel his chakra flickering. _Something isn't right. _Has he really used this much chakra while fighting Haku?

"Sakura" I called the pinkie my ears too tired of her sobbing.

"K-Kaya-chan" she turned her head with her eyes red and a puffy. "S-Sasuke-kun is…"

"Move"

I didn't wait her response and shoved her away. _Yes. I can feel his chakra._ Clearly now, and I extended my arm in the air above Sasuke's chest as if that would make me feel his chakra better. Somewhere to my left Sakura made some protesting sounds. I smiled.

"He's alright." I said and looked at both Tazuna and Sakura. In return they didn't seem very happy.

"Huh? What do you mean? Sasuke-kun is dead! And is your fault as well! You said – "

"Don't say something you're going to regret dearly." I said cuttingly.

"But how can you be so cold? Your team mate was killed and the poor girl is crying her heart out for him!" Tazuna said with indignation. "Are you that cruel?"

"They aren't my team mates" I explained looking around and searching Haku. "And are you deaf? The duckling is alright. He is alive."

"What do you mean? Sasuke-kun is…"

"Haku!" I shouted to get his attention. "Would you mind helping me with something?

He came over with an uncertain expression and took in the scene he was seeing before him, his eyes studying me, Sakura, Tazuna and finally Sasuke. And he finally understood.

"Your friend-"

"Is alive. I know. However, I want to know if there is something I should be aware of, when pulling out the senbon needles." My request made Haku blink rapidly for the following seconds.

"Do you want me to help you with the senbon?"

"No!" Sakura shouted. "He is the enemy! I won't let him anywhere near Sasuke-kun!"

"Sakura…"

I turned my head abruptly at the weak voice coming from the duckling. His black eyes were opened, while his hair was scruffy. _ He does look like a cute kid when he's not scowling. _

"…you're too loud."

"SASUKE-KUN!"

"DON'T!" I stopped her from launching herself at Sasuke, with my arm_._ "You will only inflict further damage! You can hug him how much you want _after_ I get those out." Sasuke's face told me that won't happen in a thousand years._ Eh, duck. You know nothing._ "Welcome back, duckling."

"Hn"

_Yeah. He's fine. _Tazuna's and Sakura's eyes were filled with tears of joy. _…really?_ Sasuke looked at me for a second giving me the impression that he wanted to say something, but then he tried to get up, in a sitting position.

"Stop. You'll only hurt yourself."I hissed and the duckling grimaced, glaring at me.

"I'm fine." he said stubbornly, then his eyes stopped on Haku.

"He's on our side." I said before he got any genius idea to get up and fight. _**Try** to fight._ "Kind of."

I looked at Haku with a raised brow. He understood my implication and directed his words to Sasuke.

"I'm sorry I hurt you and Naruto-kun. I didn't mean to cause any harm to any of you." I looked at Sasuke and urged myself to not laugh. _Not causing any harm?_

"Um, how about you tell me how to get the needles out?" I proposed. "I mean, I know how to get the needles out, but if there's anything particular I need to know? But don't use any… weird terms. I don't exactly know anything about senbon needles." Haku seemed to ponder about what I said and I took advantage of the state the duck was in to run my hand through the black hair, getting out the ice.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked with horror and repulsion at the sudden contact of my hand with his precious hair.

"I'm preparing you for when Sakura is going to suffocate you with hugs" I said rolling my eyes. "Calm down, I'm just brushing of the ice. You're covered in it from head to toe." I frowned and even brush some dirt from his face, at which he froze and looked at me puzzled. _Have you guessed, duck? That I'm doing this only to annoy you?_ As if he heard my thoughts, he narrowed his eyes.

"I don't think there is anything you should concern yourself with." Haku said watching us amused, guessing rightly the delight I took in annoying others. "Just be careful to pull them out in the same direction they came in."

"Got it."I said and commanded Sasuke's cooperation not verbally, but by pushing him roughly back when he tried to get up. "Stay still. You have a collar of needles. In case you ever wish to go BDSM." _Of course_, I was the only one that got the joke.

"SASUKEEEEEEE!"

"Not again" I sighed. The blonde came closer and I looked pass him where Kakashi was watching us attentively. "I don't suppose any of you know any medical jutsu, do you?"

Haku opened his mouth to respond my rhetoric question, when the blonde practically starts shouting around.

"YOU ARE ALRIGHT!"

"NARUTO SHUT UP!"

We all watched as Sakura made herself useful and made the blonde shut up. In her painful and brutal way. I looked at Sasuke and both of us have the same perplexed expressions. _We are with stupid._ Haku smiled widely at the sight and it makes me ache that someone can have a perfect smile like that. _Really, he is more beautiful than a girl._ _But it's Naruto that manages to trigger that innocent side in him_. So yeah.

"Yo"

"Kakashi-sensei!" both Sakura and Naruto exclaimed as the grey jounin approached us. _Zabuza must be somewhere close as well. _ And sure enough, I saw him as well, but at a reasonable distance.

"Oh, does this mean that our mission is over? Hey, good job everybody. Let's just, not come back in the morning. Let's take a day of, yeah?"I smiled tired.

"Not exactly" Kakashi started. "Our mission ends when the bridge is completed. We have to take some time to recover for the journey back home home as well. I'm afraid we'll have to abuse of your hospitality, Tazuna-san"

"Not at all!" the old bridge builder smiled. "It is thanks to you that the bridge's completion can take place at all"

"Haku, you know medical jutsu, right?"I cut off the little chit-chat between Kakashi and Tazuna, already tired of human interaction and bonding.

"Yes" he replies getting closer, to Sasuke's dissatisfaction.

"You can help me" I conclude as Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Oh come one duck. It's only for the sake of getting a thing done efficiently. After all Haku spared our lives. If he wanted, he could have killed you and Naruto." I say and the duck just 'hn'-ed and let us help with the needles. Haku's needles.

"I'm not so sure I could have won against you in a one on one fight" Haku said to Sasuke as he showed me how to take out a needle. Sasuke flinched for a second as we were doing medical practice on him. "With your kekkei genkai, you would have eventually managed to predict my moves."

"Kekkei Genkai?" I froze with one needle in my hand then looked at Sasuke who in return watched me with something between curiosity and smugness. _I did tell him to go and die_. In return he proved me that he was faster than Haku and activated the Sharingan. "You activated the Sharingan? Oh. Nice"

"We have many things to work on, from now on." Kakashi smiled (I think?) towards a half smirking duckling. The next needle I pulled a little harsher. I looked at it ignoring the duckling's painful protests. It was thin and sharp, half tainted with Sasuke's blood. Uchiha blood. _Ha. I want to learn more about senbon needles._

"So, now that we all concluded that Zabuza and Haku aren't the enemy and don't want to kill us anymore" I said while I watched Haku put his finger on a mark one of the needles made, leaving it smoking and then the mark was gone. _I want to learn that too._ "Can I ask you a favor, Haku?"

"Yes?" the boy said oblivious of my devilish expression. Sasuke sighed.

"Can I touch your hair now?"

* * *

**And part two is here! Yay. And it's looong. I'm not completely satisfied with it,but I'll blame the cold. I hate being sick. I love Kaya in this chapter. She's really losing it**. **I'll keep this short because I'm not feeling very well and neither is my laptop cooperating. There will be a time skip a short one, of a month or so. The next chapter will involve some Uchiha bonding moments. Or the beginning of them ^_^. And the introduction to the Chunnin Exams. Perhaps. I'll see.**

**Thank you all who read, favored, followed my story! You guys keep me going !**

**Don't forget to review and tell me your thoughts and suggestions. Please let me know if you like something, if you don't like something, if the characters are OOC (I HOPE THAY AREN'T, SWEET PANKAKE). **

**Catch you guys later!**


	15. Jar Jar Binks

**Chapter XV : Jar Jar Binks**

I was not amused.

I looked at the x-rays with a skeptical frown, scrutinizing the white lines and humming. The medic-nin was standing at her neat desk waiting, possessing a seemingly endless patience as I was inspecting my scan the fifth time since arriving here.

"What is the oval thing?" I asked following with my finger the line of the said 'oval thing'.

"Kaya"

"It's almost divided in two parts. See? It has little curly lines here, here. And here. Weeeird."

"_Kaya_"

I lowered the scan and glanced at the nin. _Oh_. I've put the scan back into the envelope and pushed it onto her desk, slowly until it reached her elbows and then patted the yellow surface of the envelope. _She's going to snap._ But, it seemed that the medical-nin had already gotten used to my antics_. _She just sighed exasperated and reached for the envelope to show me the scan again.

"This is a brain scan. This is _your_ _brain_."

I blinked at the scan, ignoring the condescending tone of the nin. She circled the brain with her index finger as I did earlier. _No need to treat me like a retarded. _ Yeah, none at all. I nodded with faked fascination. The medic-nin sighed again.

"So… what is wrong with my brain? Unless you like circling random zones on people's brain scans, I have no idea what those mean." I explained pointing at the thin red circles in the occipital lobe. _ Because yes. I do know __**some**__ anatomy._

"The occipital lobe." The nin explained with a new found patience. "And it has to do with your vision." She hesitated. "It's a little more complicated. What you have to know is that it has to do with how you process the visual information."

Yeah. Because the occipital lobes are situated in the back cerebral cortex and are the main centers for visual processes. Somehow I doubted that answer would have benefited me in any way seeing as a twelve years old child, even a genin, wasn't actually supposed to know this. Unless_… _ you were Sakura. "I see." I said dryly. "And they are circled because…?"

The medical-nin put the scan on the desk and leaned back in her chair. _ This feels like the moment before the doctor informs you of the growing brain cancer they've discovered and can't extirpate it in time. _ But there was no tumor_. I think_. I checked it. Everything seemed normal, but of course I was no doctor. _Well, technically, neither is she. _

"Chakra is like a web of little, tiny lines that… you know what chakra is, right?"

"No." I answered fast. "I've learned how to mold it, to control it and almost fainted thrice because of chakra exhaustion. But, I swear o the Valar, that no, I have no idea what chakra is."

"Good" she ignored my bickering with no sight of amusement. _Oh, she's good with the poker face._ "Because your eyes will never receive it."

…

…

…

"I think" she added a little hesitant. She looked at me. "You have no idea what that means, don't you?"

"_Nope_" I said still smiling ignorantly as the medical-nin took of her glasses and trenched the space between her eyes. I've started looking through her papers and found some drawings of the muscular and nervous systems.

"Don't touch- "she took those from me and I pouted like a little kid. _Why am I so weird?_ Yes, that was a good question. The medical nin sighed and then put her glasses on. "It has to do with your chakra points."

"You can see chakra points through x-rays? Are you serious?!" I exclaimed.

"No, _of course_ you _can't_." she rectified quickly before, my attention flew out the window again. "I'm just guessing that your chakra points situated close to your optical nerve and the occipital lobe, are to blame for your migraines." she looked away leaning back into her chair. "Have you activated your Sharingan?"

"No." I answered automatically. "Maybe. I don't know. Perhaps. Most likely not. I've never noticed anything different about my eyesight. Not every Uchiha member has the Sharingan, you know?" _Had._ "Had." I said quickly. _Damn you brain._

"Are you sure?"

"Am I sure, what? If every Uchiha had the Sharingan? Yeah, pretty sure there were lots of three years old Uchiha kids that had the trademark blood-red eyes with the spiraling tomoe . Are you joking? How am I supposed to know? I didn't _exactly_ live at the heart of the clan, you know." I said annoyed because I really, really didn't want to think about the time there actually _was_ an Uchiha clan. "And if you ask me about whether or not I have ever _accidentally _activated the Sharingan, I think I would have remember seeing the chakra of other people around me and I wouldn't have bothered studying for tests at the Academy. Damn, those are useless for ninjas. Who came with the idea of theoretical test in a ninja Academy? Really."

_Why is she so interested about the Sharingan? _ I knew she was a medic nin, but I felt like there was something more to that. Something in the way she was listening intently to what I've said about the Sharingan, made me wary. She had the expression of the person who knew exactly what it was and how it worked, but needed some sort of confirmation or further information. I didn't like it.

"Ok, I got it." she interrupted me. She looked at the scan again and sighed. "I don't know. This requires the attention of someone specialized. I'll have to do some research and ask some other colleagues. In the meanwhile, it would be good if you stopped your eye drops treatment."

_So dismissive_. Something was definitely amiss. She either was passionate about kekkei genkai, or she was gathering information. My paranoid side of mind went immediately to Danzo.

"Finally" I mumbled. I hated eye-drops and it took my eyes three weeks to come back to normal and not look like I was on crack. _But they are still too dark._ Since the Land of Waves my migraines disappeared by miracle. Weeeeeird. _The effect of touching Haku's hair, I bet._

"Well. You're free to go. I'll notify you if I find something."

"Oh, was I detained? I had no idea you had it in your power to do that. This must be really-"

"I have other patients! Make sure not to force that shoulder."

I left the medical nin fuming and tried to get away from the hospital as fast as I could. _I hate hospitals._ The smell, the people, the building they all seemed sick. _ It __**is**__ a hospital._ I looked along its corridors feeling a little claustrophobic. The bluish and grayish light didn't help. I remembered the last time I've been in the hospital for a prolonged period of time. _I have to get out of here._

I had no idea where to go. I looked on the road to my left with people walking in the dust, under the unmerciful sun. It was always sunny in Konoha. And once again. _I hate it._ I sighed and started walking randomly on the road that opened to my left. It was impossible for me to get lost in Konoha. I've been walking its streets way too many nights for that to happen. I could have met up with team seven and hear Naruto complain about how they had to walk the dogs of the daymo or whatever, but I wasn't in the mood. Actually I didn't even know what I wanted to do. _I could spend the extra money I have_. Oh. Yeah. And by extra I meant **extra**. It seemed that once the Land of Waves regained its balance, it also gained a substantial financial support from The Gatō Company. After the unpredictable death of the business man at the hand of two missing-nins (who by the way, are still at large, ahem), the village beneficied of its fortune as charity. A last wish of the man. Nice guy that Gatō.

However, they needed someone to manage the financial and comercial matters and put order in the papers and all that shit. Which of course I did not offer to do. And of course I didn't received a, hm, _modest_ share of Gatō's money. No, that was the generosity of the village, for us, three genin and our sensei that saved the day. Konoha received something out of that as well, so no questions were risen about the whole thing. It just happens that The Land of Waves loves us. Especially me.

_Keh_. My feet were already covered in dust. After almost a month, well, at least three weeks, spent in the Land of Waves where the humidity was even more pronounced, this was annoying me. _Konoha's climate really doesn't suit me. _Funny, neither has it in my previous life. _Previous life? Really._ Shut up mind, enojoy the schroge the sun is providing you. What, isn't it nice?

I passed from one of the quietest parts of Konoha, to one of the bussiest. Yay. I loved people. I looked at them, passing by me. It never occured me how much the people of the village enjoyed having diverse colored clothes. The crowd was dominated by a variety of colours. _Why am I so fascinated by fucking colours? And clothes? _Because back home people wore black, white and grey. Well, not only this but those were dominant. Being an European those were the colours I atributed to crowds. In any city of Europe. I didn't know if it was an European thing, but I would always think of it like this. _There's no Europe here. Get over it._

I stopped in my tracks. Ah. So this was the reason of the sudden apathy and the absolutely _happy_ thoughts. _Homesickness. _I grimaced at the idea and shook my head as a woman sent me a dirty look because I stopped in the middle of the road. I was homesick. How could I be homesick if I had no home? I laughed. Some people looked at me strangely and I've started walking again before I traumatized even further the little child that was asking his mother why was that strange girl with black boots laughing in the middle of the road.

_This is absurd_. It was. It really was. Not to mention _pathetic_. I felt so… alien to my surroundings. Nothing felt right. Ever since the Land of Waves everything changed gradually. It was still changing. But I couldn't put my finger on what it was. It had nothing to with my day to day activity. Or more precisely, _non-activity_. Because of my shoulder – which by the way, was almost healed so the medic-nin should just chill out – I had to sit out of the missions of team 7, helping Kakashi with supervising the three idiots. Yay. I shouldn't really be complaining. I got the chance to continue with my chakra manipulation exercises and Kakashi even promised to teach me how to walk on water like our lord and savior Jesus Christ (not that Kakashi knew who that was). But of course, as everything else that Kakashi promises… it would be done. Eventually.

As for my dear 'not-really-team-mates', something was off. And I meant something was off between Naruto and the freaking duck, of course. The rivalry has always been there from the fucking Academy, but now it was getting on my nerves. And Sakura's. And secretly, I could bet, Kakashi's too. _Scratch that. EVERYBODY'S. _ I shook my head. Yes. This rivalry was serving no purpose to the fragile bonding and teamwork we all formed in the last 2 (or was it 3?) months. Those morons were destroying the whole progress. _Why so snappy, though?_

Hmm. I had to find something to do. Not doing anything productive while the others had missions – yes, even those pathetically easy and whydotheyneedninjaforwalkingdogs? missions – was getting to me. And I couldn't rely on Kakashi for training, as he refused to help me until my shoulder was FULLY recovered. Heh. That lazy piece of jounin.

_But what should I do?_ As much as I wanted to say that Kakashi and the annoying medic were wrong… they were right. My shoulder had almost recovered from the wound and I would soon enough be able to resume archery and missions. And physical training. I was seriously out of shape before, even more now that I took a prolonged break from using my arm. _Eh, what a timing._ I could have used all this time for training, had I been more careful when facing enemies handling ridiculously huge swords. Of course, I practiced my chakra manipulation, molding it for days, but I still couldn't control it to the extent of shooting flaming arrows like I did with Zabuza, which alerted me that at that time I had been seriously fucking lucky. Heh, got it? _Maybe that's because you __**can't**__ shoot arrows momentary? Just saying._ Yeah, you don't say, brain.

I stopped in my tracks in front of a flower shop. It triggered something in my mind, but I couldn't figure out what. _ Well, I am fond of flowers, but not that much that I would buy some randomly. _I was saving my money for other…. purposes. _What's up with the flower shop_? Did I suddenly feel the need to dedicate my life to ikebana? Hm. I entered the flower shop. _I feel like doing something random? Checked. _

All around me were, yes you guessed, flowers. _…seriously? I thought there would be cuts of meat, poultry and shellfish._ I liked flowers. It wasn't only the smell or the aesthetic aspects of it, actually, it reminded me of Nekobaa. She used to have that damn garden, which she tended to every damn morning, making my escapades hard to do too. Now, living in an apartment on the four floor didn't exactly helped if I wanted a garden of my own. Although, back at the Academy I used to enjoy the ikebana classes. Yes, we had such classes, yes they were for us, the girls, and yes, most of the time they were a bore, but, after the 10 minutes of not doing anything productive (training, yes, I'm referring to training), I got used to it and enjoyed my time with arranging the flowers. _I wonder what the crazy old cat lady is doing right now? _ I haven't thought about her in a looooooong time. Ah, more homesickness.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

The voice startled me, interrupting my reverie. _What's Ino fucking Yamanaka doing – oh. Ooooooooooh. Shiiiit._ Flower shop. Yamanaka. I completely forgot. _I could have picked a better day to stop by._ Maybe one in which it wasn't the shift of the 12 years old Ino. _Seriously, I can't wait 'till we all grow up. _It was enough hearing the thin voice of a 12 years old Ino to get on my nerves, not to mention the personality. _ . ._

"Oh, it's you." I said nonchalantly. _Well, isn't she just as happy seeing me as I am seeing her? _Wait, that sounded bad. I walked up to the blonde smiling widely. "How ya doing?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked again rudely, crossing her arms. _Why so rude, blondie? _Although, she seemed unsure of how to act around me. Not quite rude, but neither neutral. _She's on the defensive._ Hmmm.

"Buying flowers" I replied with the smile still plastered all over my face. "… for Sasuke."

"Sasuke-kun?!"

_Oh my vala._ I started walking around the shop looking at the different kinds of flowers. _Now this is what I call variety. _ And dedication.

"Mhm"

"Heh, why would Sasuke-kun want flowers from _you_?" she asked needling me. _She' . ._

"A gift is an unexpected and pleasant surprise, I heard. He doesn't have to _want_ flowers. If it's a present. Of course." I explained, studying some beautiful yellow delicate flowers.

"It's Sasuke-kun's birthday?" she asked unsure.

"No" I answered looking at some suspended flower pots. "His birthday is in summer"_ I think_. "Chill out. I was joking. They're not for the duckling. Can you imagine Sasuke with a flower crown on top of his head? Hilarious. Eventually pink ones."

"Oh." she said disappointed. I looked at her from the corner of my eye. _Really?_ "Then, can you make up your mind faster? I have to close earlier today."

"What's the rush? I thought that you, Yamanaka, liked being surrounded by plants." I said turning to the blonde girl. "Or it's finally getting to you?"

"Flowers. Not plants.", she corrected me with an annoyed and annoying tone. _Flowers are plants, you blonde child._ "I have training."

"Oh. I see." I said coming closer to her. Training. Right. That's important, right? "I'll have" I started motioning to the yellow flowers "those, in the pot."

"Marigolds" she said blinking fast at me as if surprised. _What the….?_ She moved pass me towards the pot. "You know" she started as her love for flowers was stronger than the antipathy for me. "in many cultures, marigolds symbolize the sun and ressure- "

"I'm not really interested in symbolistic." _Lies._ I cut her off. "Ikebana wasn't one of my high scored classes."

"I know" she said looking at me smugly. _Why so smug?_ She used to be the best in that class. _ She owns a fucking flower shop._ "Here".

I passed her the money and grabbed the pot. _They really are beautiful._ And little. Little flowers painted in yellow, orange and red. Little flowers of fire. _ Wait a second._ Fire. Fire. **Fire.**_I am the biggest idiot ever. Seriously_. I turned to leave without bothering to say 'bye' to Ino and my body slammed into something, making me stumble a few steps backward while holding my hand to my temple. _ Why am I not watching where I'm going?_ Because, again, I'm an idiot.

"Ouch. How troublesome."

"For the love of the vala! Can't people watch where they're- 'ouch'? Seriously, you _just_ said '_ouch_'?

In my mind, the lazy voice of Shikamaru and the word 'ouch' never quite fit.

'Kaya-chan! What are you doing here?'

I stepped back into a normal position to look at both Shikamaru and Choji who were apparently, entering the flower shop just as I was about to exit it. Nice timing, right? _ Does he always carry around a chip bag? _It was as if, one was always glued to Choji's hand whenever I met him. That was a really bad eating habit for a shinobi. We needed to watch our diets, especially shinobi-in-training like us.

"Do you ever change the chip brand?" I asked as it occurred to me that I've never saw any brands around Konoha to speak of, but it was worth a question. Heh, got it? I massaged my left temple much like Shikamaru who was staring at me confused.

"What do you mean?" Choji said mouth still full of chips. "There's only one shop that sells chips in the whole Konoha?"

"Guys, you're late!" Ino said coming forth to her team mates and abandoning the I-am-a-flower-seller apron somewhere on a chair.

"Really?" I blinked surprised "Well, the business must run smoothly for them. Although, holding monopole over a perishable good, is pretty illegal, economically speaking, if I am not mistaken."

"…"

"What is she talking about?" Ino turned to Shikamaru after she decided asking me directly won't get her a NORMAL answer.

"Economy, apparently".

"…"

"Anyway" I smiled quickly to fill the silence that settled and the blank expression the three genin. "To answer your question, I was buying flowers for Mikasa."

"Who is Mikasa?" Shikamaru asked eyeing suspiciously the flower pot, with a red mark on his forehead.

"My cat"

"Oh, you have a cat?"

"Wait, you're buying flowers for your cat…?"

"Yes" I turned to Ino. "She likes chewing them. I have to go harass an Uchiha. See you guys later!"

I waved them good-bye and exited the flower shop in a rush, determined to reach the market. _It's not really a market._ But close to that.

"SHE'S BUYING FLOWERS FOR HER CAT TO CHEW ON THEM?!"

I did not look back while walking fast down the road to the center of the village. I did not want to enrage even further a Yamanaka. Plus, I had a plan. I smiled looking ahead at the Hokage building. _How much will my next two stops cost me when it comes to time? _I wondered.

Ҩ

Three hours later I was in front of a wooden door of an apartment. _I can't believe it took me three hours_. It better was worth it or I was going to find and kill something that remotely resembled Jar Jar Binks. _I hate Jar Jar Binks_. _Why would anyone like Jar Jar Binks? It's an abomination! _I knocked three times. _Do you want to build a snow man?_ Or even better.

"Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's doors" I hummed knocking again. _He is so going to hate me._

I readjusted the basket in my arms, careful not to smash the flowers. Hopefully he was at home. _He could be training. _ And in that case I would have to walk all the way to the training grounds. Yay. I raised my hand to knock again, when that door cracked. _Victory. _ I waited patiently for the door to open slowly, revealing a very grumpy Uchiha Sasuke. _ Well, well, the duck is out of his water._ Wait_. _What?

"Hello, Sasuke. Had a good day?" I smiled widely as the duckling furrowed his brows at my shining disposition.

"What do you want?" he asked eyeing me suspiciously, much like Shikamaru did earlier.

"I need your help. I even brought peace offerings. See?" I held the tomato basket high so he could see the vegetables clearly. I didn't know whether or not Sasuke really liked tomatoes, or if it was just a rumor in every Naruto fanfic ever. But it was worth a try. _And the pun. And __**I**__ like tomatoes._ "May I come in?"

He stared at the tomatoes and then he opened the door widely for me to enter. _It worked._ But he could have helped me with the basket and the flower pot, though. I looked around me as Sasuke closed the door. It was funny. Neither of us were living in the Uchiha compound. Our home. No, we were living in small apartments like this one, in a rather good part of the village. Although not really close to each other. The compound would have been more than enough for two children of twelve years old. But we had the disadvantage of being both under aged and orphans. And the compound was partially destroyed. Some of the interconnected buildings and closely built ones that were forming the compound itself were a little worn out by the years and seasons. Not too many years, but still, not being inhabited made the difference. _I bet the blood still taints that place._ I put the pot and the basket on the table close to the window. The apartment was just as small as mine, although it had a bedroom separated from this one. Heh. He had more space than I did. And he kept it more clean and orderly than I would ever keep my apartment. _ But the duckling doesn't have a cat._ Nope. He didn't and that made a HUGE difference.

"How do you know where I live?" Sasuke asked behind me as I took in the sight of his apartment.

"This… gives me the creeps" I said turning to the duck. "It's too … clean. Anyway," I said taking a tomato from the basket and walking to the sink. "I went to the Hokage building and stole the list with the residents of the village from the letter 'U' while asking for an audience with the Hokage. Who apparently was busy as the moment. I made a copy of the list." I reached for the paper in my pocket. "Here, I have proof. Enough to assure you I'm not a stalker that walked in to kill you? Or poison you?"

I motioned to the basket.

"You stole the list with the Konoha residents?" he asked incredulous, his pitch black eyes widening for a second. "Are you insane?"

"You haven't been paying attention. I have _copied_ the list. There's a jutsu for that, you know? And it's only from the 'U' rubric." I explained taking a bite from my tomato. Yummmmmy, juicy. I took a paper and a pencil from around the small kitchen as the Uchiha followed my moves with a disapproving expression. _ He keeps pencils and pens in a plastic glass._ I used to keep them like that back _home._

"You stole information from the Hokage building"

"I _copied_ information from the Hokage building."

"…"

"I'm taking one of your chairs."

He had only two. I dragged one of the chairs at the table, but facing the duck who was still staring at me. I was drawing. Sincerely, I was bored, so drawing was my way of avoiding awkward silence that would inevitably occur when trying to engage in a conversation with an Uchiha.

"You said you needed my help" he said getting to the point of my visit.

"Ah, yes that. I need you to teach me Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu. Please. I was supposed to ask for help not demand it, god damnit." The last part I said it to myself but didn't bother to lower my voice so basically I looked and sounded like a schizophrenic person. _You mean, like usually?_ Yes, brain. Like usually.

Sasuke looked at me unexpressive. Or with a neutral face. Which could mean a whole bunch of things. He could be surprised. He could be annoyed. He could be dissapointed. He could be happy. He could be sad. He could be ecstatic. He could be anxious. He could be bored. He could be ANYTHING. But to safe my life, I couldn't say what exactly because he always wore this neutral and guarded expression void of any emotion. Perfect for a ninja, detrimental for human interactions. _And perfect for a portrait. _Yes, and no. Because it would be an unexpresive portrait.

"You can't do the Fireball Jutsu" he said stating the obvious. _What, does he think we all learn fire jutsus when we are children?_

"That's what I said. Indirectly. I lived with a cat granny my entire childhood, you do realize she didn't exactly know a bunch of jutsu and stuff like that, do you?" I said annoyed, tapping the bitten tomato with my fingers.

"You lived with Nekobaa?"

"Yes, Sasuke. I used to live with her on the northern side of the compound. But that's not the point." I ran my hand through my hair, more and more annoyed. _Although, he's more talkative than usual._ I glanced at the duckling, as he stood, with his arms across his chest, with an apathetic and somehow slightly curious expression. I was becoming good at noticing the little changes in his seemingly neutral expression. "The point is, I need to learn that jutsu, because I have to control my chakra better. It will help me understand how to actually _use_ it."

"Have you asked Kakashi?" he asked frowning.

"Kakashi-sensei never has time for training," he pulled a face at that but I ignored him "and the only person I personally know to be able to pull off that jutsu, is you" I said looking him straight in his face. "Conveniently enough, you're not a stranger, on the contrary, you're an Uchiha, and someone I know for quite a bit of time. Barely," I said, knowing exactly how 'you don't know a thing about me' he would get. _Ah, yes. Sweet puberty and teenage. _"but still, enough for me to ask for a little help with training." I frowned. _This sounds kind of… weird._ "And I don't see you having anything else better to do."

"Hn" he 'said' defiantly, dismissing the last part.

"Ah. I see. Missions"

"…"

"… that boring, huh?"

"Hn."

I smiled triumphal. I was right. The light coming from the window wrapped around the Uchiha's silhouette as he was trying to think of something that would contradict me. Heh. I bet he was just as fed up as Naruto was with all the 'missions' the Hokage assigned team seven. I knew I was, and the only thing I did was watch them do silly things, like picking weeds from a garden, or litter from the river. _Or babysitting. Blah._ The duckling walked over and grabbed a tomato. _Ha. I knew it._

"So, when do we begin?" I smiled brightly.

"No here."

"You don't say?" I said sarcasm dripping from my voice. "I asked when, not where."

The duck said nothing and walked to the door. With the tomato, of course. Only when he opened the door did I bother to get up and grab some tomatoes from the basket.

"We're going to the compound, aren't we?" I asked struggling with the tomatoes. He didn't answer as he locked the door – I watched him amused because I have always seen Kakashi and others disappear in a blur and _poof, _appear somewhere else – but sent me an annoyed look. _Heh. Sasuke being annoyed by interacting with people. Sooooo out of character._

Thirty minutes later we were at the entrance of the Uchiha district. _Everything looks the same._ The small houses looked a little eaten by the succession of seasons. They looked uninhabited, but still there, a painful reminder of a once prosperous clan and of course, of the night of the massacre. _I don't even have sarcastic any remarks left._ Well, I could think of some, but I wasn't in the mood. Something about the experience in the Land of Waves changed my perspective about that night.

Sasuke was as taken aback as I was at the sight of the compound. But only for a few seconds before starting walking again on the main street that cut through it with houses on the sides. _Maybe he's been here before._ It was possible. I looked at the back of the duckling, at the sign on his back, painted in white and red. _When did I became so estranged from the clan?_ I never was familiar with it from the beginning. I wasn't familiar with anything from this world, because I wasn't part of this world. I saw the duckling sent me an annoyed look over his shoulder and I remembered that I have legs to walk.

The rest of the houses were there as well. Even the dumplings shop, whose owners I had the pleasure to see dead on _that_ night. _They were the first corpses I've seen._ It was very anticlimactic seeing the compound now, with the sun shining on the greenest grass I have ever seen, when the last time I've been here has been in the middle of the night, thick blood covering the ground. I knew the streets by heart, and I stopped in the middle of one turning to my right.

"Wait" I said a little louder than intended only then realizing how quiet we both have been.

I only vaguely saw Sasuke from the corner of my eye turning as I started walking down the street. He said something but I continued walking faster, and faster. _I can't stop. _The houses around me turned more scarce and in worse shape than the others. The road itself seemed wilder and bumpier. When I've reached it I was panting and I had to wonder myself how fast have I been running. It didn't matter.

_Nekobaa would have a fit if she could see the garden._ There was a cacophony of weeds and flowers and wild things growing _everywhere_ in the once attentive tended garden Nekobaa used to kill her time with. The building itself fared better, from what I could see, some of the ceiling gave in from heavy downpour. _I should really evaluate the definition of 'better' in my dictionary. _ I heard footsteps stop behind me. I didn't care.

The front door was missing and the stones that led to it had grass grow profoundly between them. I took some tentative steps ahead and then got bolder and rushed inside. _It looks so abandoned._ Of couse it did. It _was_ abandoned. The walls were as dusted as the floor was. It seemed as the garden decided to invade the kitchen, since it missed a wall and the vine was growing on the other. _Don't know where that came from._ The room with the ceiling descending gracefully all over it was mine. _Had been. _ One thing was missing as well.

"There is no blood" I said almost to no one in particular, but I knew the duck was somewhere around as I was walking around the house. "The cat granny never returned here."

That was a relief. But I knew there would be no blood. I remembered very few things from that night before my walk among the dead Uchiha and Itachi putting me to sleep with genjutsu, but if I wasn't mistaken the Nekobaa wasn't at home when the massacre took place.

"The Nekobaa is alive?" I heard Sasuke came from the kitchen his eyes gliding over the disaster time, weeds and rain unleashed on the walls and floor. "She survived?"

"No and yes." I replied and he looked at me. "She wasn't at home where it happened. She must have gone to her granddaughter, Tamaki." I explained fishing in my memory and feeling proud as I reached that piece. "I think. My memory is foggy about a lot of things that night. I didn't make it this far into the district to know for sure if she was or wasn't here. I passed out near a tree somewhere close to the entrance."

I felt the eyes of the Uchiha fixed on me, rather than saw them. I looked in the direction of what remained of my room, not daring to venture even further. _I don't care. This isn't my home. It never was. It's just a ruined house._ Then why were my feet glued to the partially destroyed floor and my bones heavier with several pounds than usual? _The cats. _ Neither of them were here. I wished that the duck would stop staring at my back.

"The lake is this way."

He did not wait to see if I followed. And neither did I need guidance to find the lake. It wasn't necessarily my favorite place of the compound. Perhaps that was because I couldn't swim. _Perhaps._ I walk on the wooden bridge like a cat walking on ice. When I finally reached the duck, curiosity was all over his face.

"I don't like lakes. Or seas. Or any kind of deep waters." I offered an explanation.

"You've been with us to gather the litter from the river." he argued.

"I said deep waters"

"It isn't that deep. And it's a _lake_."

"Yes it is. I saw you almost drown when we were five. It wasn't pretty."

"…"

"I never said I don't like fishing. From the shore. Usually in the summer." I scrutinized at the wooden bridge not trusting it's stability.

"I've never ventured in the lake until I was six" he narrowed his eyes.

"Yes you did and you were five. And took to water like any duck: naturally. And your brother had to go in after you, and drag you back to the surface. That was a bad fishing day for me" I said fully aware that I was ranting on because I was frightened by the irrational thought of the wood suddenly giving in under my feet. "Can we get directly at teaching? I get a distinct impression that I'll be spending some time on this bridge."

"Do you know the signs?" he hesitated and I could read on his face that he hoped my answer was positive.

"Nope. I'm learning this from scratch."

I learnt that day that Sasuke was a very patient teacher. Even for a 12 years old. And that I was shit at my own clan's jutsu. _Tiger. Snake. Rat. Ram. Monkey. Ox. Horse. Hare. Dragon. Dog. Boar. Bird._ That was a lot to remember for my unused mnesic skills. _If I have any._ And I wasn't used to form that many hand signs. It was a struggle. And I had to give Sasuke credit for actually having patience the first eight times I tried to get the _order_ right. After that his expression began to resemble one of annoyance, but he said nothing.

"You have to gather chakra in your chest and release it along with the air." he explained methodically. "Here."

He motioned to me to step back and he expertly did the signs in a fast sequence and then released the jutsu upon the lake's surface. Just like that. I stared like a retarded person. There were flames coming out of a person breath, spreading across the watery surface of a lake, right in front of me. A fucking huge fireball. And I was about to learn how to do that myself. _What the fuck am I doing? What the fuck am I __**thinking**__ I'm doing?_ The duck turned, looking at me expectantly.

"Got it." I said shaking my hands, trying to sound confident like I saw people spit fire on a daily basis. _This is insane._ Yes, insane, in a world where people can summon ninja dogs, suspended mirrors made out of ice or the _fucking Nine Tails_. _This part should be easy._ Oh, yeah. Because I have actually set on fire something on my own without the hand signs. Something minor, like a man's arm, no biggie. _Actually, that was the arrow. I set on fire the arrow and that set on fire Zabuza's arm._

Sasuke nodded stepping back. He didn't have to. I did the signs, gathered chakra in my chest… and nothing. Wait, not. There was something. A small tread of smoke. At the sight of it I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

"Well, that was shittier than I first anticipated." I laughed and then tried again. And again. And again. _So frustrating. _"You know you don't have to stay, right? Thanks for the teaching. You're not obliged to waste your time here," _Sooooooooooooo fucking frustrating. _

"Hn" I heard his footsteps. _ Why isn't it fucking working?_ "Don't exhaust your chakra while on the bridge".

I turned but he wasn't anywhere near anymore. _So, he does that after all. Disappear. _I shook my head and pulled my hair out of the ruined braid only to make another. _But he has a point. _

I turned towards the lake and tried again.

* * *

**HELLO. Yes. I am alive. Oh gods. It took me sooooooooooooo much to update this story and I will be honest and say that I don't know when I will be able to post the next chapter. It's not written yet, but I am trying. My finals are coming and a bunch of other stuff that will get in my way of writing. NOOOOOOOOOOO. I've been lazy, yes, I have been busy, I have been out of ideas because I didn't know what I wanted to do with Kaya further in future, but now everything is more or less settled. Or not. We shall see. So here it is! The beginning of the bonding. I noticed I've made Sasuke really annoyed with Kaya for no particular reason and I know, he's an asshole (DON'T try to defend/or argue with that, the guy is an asshole since the moment he was introduced in the manga until he teaches Boruto. WHO LET'S A CHILD FIGHT THE MAIN VILLAN?!). Anyway, the bond between Kaya and Sasuke will be a very special one. They share pain, memories and secrets. Hmmmmmmmm. We shall see how that plays out ;)**

**PS. I started watching The 100 with a friend and she suddenly said that Raven Reyes was a lot like Kaya. After I can never watch The 100 again and see Raven, and NOT think of Kaya. Hehe. They are rather similar, when it comes to the personality. **

**Reviews are loooooooooooooove! ^_^ (and they keep me going hehe. Criticism is love, actually. I need it to improve so, please be my guest.)**

**Catch you guys later!**


	16. Weed

**Chapter XVI : Of weed(s) and plans**

Learning to spit fire was harder that I first anticipated.

Not only did it blow my self-esteem because apparently I was an Uchiha shitty at fire techniques, but it left my arms with blisters. And hands. _That's why Sasuke wears _arm_ warmers_. And soon enough my face too, I believed. Which was **not fun at all**. _Did I seriously think that learning a fire jutsu would be a piece of cake?_ Yes, I did. Yes, I was wrong.

But I didn't let the Fire Ball jutsu – or 'Furry Ball jutsu' when I was talking with Mikasa while burning my dinner – consume all my free time. And yes, now I had a _busy_ time and a _free_ time because I bullied Kakashi into letting me do missions. Or begged him. The last one might be closer to the truth. I had to show him that I would lose what is left of my sanity if I didn't have to do _something_ with my time. It worked. I was finally going to lame-ass missions with team seven again. Hurray.

_It is good for teamwork._ Not that I was part of the actual team. But still, it made the four of us grow closer and tolerate each other better, which was the whole point of the missions. I couldn't sit out of that if I wanted to socially, psychically and physically survive. I knew what was going to happen later on, and I had this revelation that I should really bond with people my age. Why?

_Because survival_. I knew shit was going to get down after the Chunin Exam and the key to survival, was to be tied to the people around you. Like the rookie nine. Or ten now, I guess. I remembered how everyone was helping everyone and how they shared the same feeling of belonging to something common. To the village and even better, to a sort of generation tie. That was my objective: being part of that thing, to assure my survival and well-being.

_Wow. A lot of surviving._ Well, since I figured out I wasn't exactly the strongest genin in my generation, I figured out I needed to use any opportunity to assure my stability in this world. Because my position wasn't very stable. Let's analyze it a bit. I am an Uchiha. One that 'survived' the massacre. The one Danzo planned, but that's another side of the story. _I'm not getting there yet._ I am a genin. I have no special abilities, not even the Sharingan despite my natural supposed predilection to it through inheritance. I only have a decent chakra control and an affinity to fire. Due to inheritance. Until this point everything that I had access to was my natural genetic skills. Again, I was an Uchiha. But a weak and untrained one. An orphan and an ostracized one at that, who knew nothing about the actual ninja world. With the exception of what I have learnt in the Academy, but that **did not** compare with the real life. _ Nothing you usually learn in school does. I wasted 12 years in this world learning nothing._ I was the Jon Snow of Naruto. I knew nothing.

So I had to do something about that. Because Orochimaru's invasions was coming along with some weird shit I couldn't remember because I wasn't that much into the anime. Damn my ignorance for _Naruto_. Had I been a die-hard fan, everything would have been sooooo much easier.

But I wasn't a die-hard fan. So I did what I considered was the most logical approach: train. When I wasn't at the river practicing Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu – I was proud of myself for remembering the complete name, can you tell? – I was running around the village and doing some exercises to train my muscles. If I wasn't running until I dropped dead, I was practicing taijutsu. Yes. Taijutsu. My most feared enemy. Physical engagement in battle. I actually gathered my courage and swallowed my pride and asked Kakashi about it. After he decided I was shit at it, in other … not so frank words, he pointed out at the things I had to work on. He couldn't be bothered to stop his reading to actually train me, so I had to listen to his advice and do it on my own. _Ass_.

So, that was my everyday routine. Wake up, run, exercise, taijutsu, sleep, missions, going to the lake. And then drop dead until the next day. It was exhausting but it did make me feel more optimistic about the upcoming events. Aaand at the same time my daily schedule didn't allow me to socialize with the other genin or **anyone** outside team seven. Which sent me to square one, at my problem with bonding.

"You're not concentrating."

_Shit._ I exhaled the breath I have been gathering with a lame tentative of the fireball that it was supposed to be. Then in less than a split second, I turned to the source of noise that made me almost slip into the river beneath the little bridge.

"Don't. Sneak. Up. On. Me."

Sasuke 'hn'-ed at me and stepped from the shadows of the trees. _Dinner time._ I walked from the lake toward the duckling with relief. I hated lakes. _At least one thing changed in good. _If my training schedule didn't allow me to socialize with other people, it definitely helped with the interaction between me and Sasuke. We weren't best buddies. But we weren't the awkward morons trying to communicate anymore. It was more like he tolerated me better.

I took a 'seat' on the grass close to the basket I brought with me and started searching for the onigiri. I could tell the duck was staring at me, disapproval all over his face, but my hunger won that fight long time ago.

"That wasn't an invitation to stop." he huffed seating himself on the grass.

"I am hungry." I shoved some tomatoes and onigiri in his face. "You are hungry. It's a win-win"

He took the food and shook his head. It was a lost battle. _He_ _disagrees._ That was true progress. Usually I had to insist that he eats as well. He was right not to, because this was barely a snack before actually having a proper dinner and he was spoiling his appetite, but I felt weird eating when someone beside me isn't. _He's inspecting the food – son of a duck!_

"It's bought, not cooked by me. It's safe." I assured and he nodded before taking a hesitant bite. _Little piece of s-duck. _He either ignored or genuinely didn't notice my glare. It happened only once to bring food cooked by me. It did not end well for either of us.

I could tell from the way he gulped down the rice that he was either actually hungry or that the onigiri shop I went to earlier was a good one. He was so absorbed in his activity with the food that he didn't even notice me staring. _Or he's thinking._ Something was off, because usually he noticed when I did things just to annoy him. Like staring. But right now a bear could come from behind and he wouldn't notice. I took a bite from the onigiri. _It really __**is**__ good._

As I was saying, the bond between me and the duckling improved. The fact that we were eating a snack before dinner together was a proof of that. It might have helped that I was spending more time with the whole team now that I was helping on missions again. And the fact that I was coming to the compound every day.

_No._ No indeed. _It's not that._ Of course, the fact that I was more present in the team dynamics – as much as Naruto's and Sakura's banters annoyed and tired me – was one of the reasons why I had grown closer to the trio, but the fact that I was neither as loud as Naruto nor as attention seeking as Sakura, was perhaps a plus. And I was bringing food.

I looked at the dark haired duck. He was a very predictable and simple individual. Really. All I had to do was point out his presence while I was practicing by the lake one of the days. I noticed in the first days. Sometimes he was coming to the compound and stood at a reasonable distance, and sometimes he didn't.

_It haunts him as well_. The compound. The first week was a nightmare. Literally. Coming to the compound everyday gave me nightmares about _that_ night. Details I missed or ignored now surfaced in my nightmares. Or perhaps I was imagining them. I no longer remembered clearly the night of the Uchiha massacre. The details always changed in my mind. The nightmares altered the memory until I no longer knew what was my imagination and what were frictions of reality.

"What a nuisance" I mumbled looking at the main house of the compound and the duckling sent me a sharp look. "The compound. No one is living here. This place is deterring slowly. The terrain could be used for other things. Perhaps like that it would serve more than a reminder of tragedy and a source of nightmares."

Sasuke said nothing. Just looked at the compound still eating. _I get the impression he doesn't agree._ It didn't matter. The compound would always remain here. _Until Pein destroys the village_. Way to go mind, waaay to go.

I had the bad habit of eating fast. I looked back at the duck, still eating, deep in thought. _He looks like an innocent child. _ Well, he pretty much _was_ an innocent child. True, an innocent child with the sole purpose of killing his older brother who'd murdered the entire clan. _Traumatized, but still innocent._ _He looks so peacefully. _Not that he particularly NOT look peaceful in general, but something about Sasuke eating rice in bare sunlight and grass made me appreciate the simple things in life. _Also, it can't be that bad for him to get some vitamin D and shake the 'I just got out of my basement after 12 years of torture' look._

"What was that about me not concentrating?" I asked breaking the silence again. Sasuke wasn't a person who felt he had to communicate through long periods of silence unless it had a practical or necessary purpose. Sasuke was all about pragmatism. I felt I had to notice these things about the people around me. It was easier to get to know them. I guessed.

"You weren't paying attention to the jutsu" the duck answered after a short startled pause. Yes. I was the one always breaking his peaceful silence. He took a last bite of onigiri.

"Yes I was!" I complained. "Until you decided to _deconcentrate_ me! It's been what? Two weeks. And although there is progress, _nada_ results." I looked at the Uchiha. "How long did it take you to learn that jutsu?"

…

…

…

"One week."

_Bitch, say whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?_

"Itachi learnt it in an instant" he added not looking at me. It was the first time I actually heard him say Itachi's name without disdain or anger, just… void of any emotion. I stood and started towards the lake.

"Oh, my." I said "I'm putting to shame the name of Uchiha".

_This time I will get it. _

Aaaand of course I didn't. _Hand signs and then breath. What am I doing wrong?_ I was in the same spot as before the food – dinner – _thing_ break. Doing the same damn thing and failing again. Not to mention my legs were hurting bad, each muscle of my body sore because of training. I did again every hand sign and then inhaled deeply. _There's something wrong that I'm doing. I'm missing something._ The result was something remotely similar with a fireball. A _very_ small one.

"You're concentrating too much on the hand signs".

"Can you please make up your mind?" I turned toward the bridge where the duckling stood observing me. "First you say I'm not concentrating and now you say I am concentrating too much. Do you realize how antagonizing that sounds?" My rant didn't affect the duck as he sighed exasperated.

"Instead of concentrating on the jutsu as a whole, you're concentrating on forming correctly the hand signs." he explained deadpanned ignoring my fuming expression.

_Well, he's not wrong._ They were stressing me out. The hand signs. I was afraid I would forget the order or miss a sign. _Which wasn't something impossible to happen. We are talking about __**me**__ after all. _Hmm.

"I see." I turned towards the lake.

It was quite simple. Take for example Kage Bunshin no jutsu. You had only a sign. Replacement jutsu. The same. But this was something different. I was having difficulties with my first more advanced jutsu because I was focusing on the damn hand signs and only remotely on channeling my chakra. Which was opposite to what I've done when facing Zabuza. When shooting. No hand signs, just channeling chakra_. I have the predisposition and 'talent' to do this. But I must understand the mechanism behind it_.

I cleared my mind. I made the hand signs. And then inhaled building my chakra in my chest, just as I did back in the Land of Waves. _Slow and steadily_. There were chords in my chest, pulled like strings and then molded into matter. _That's it._ That's fire, I knew it. _Actually… that's only chakra, only aft _– shh, don't spoil the moment, mind. I performed the jutsu. **Perfectly**. _No, actually that's not perfectly – _I said shhhhhh!

_This is fire_. This was **fire**. Coming out of my breath. I could feel my face heat up but that didn't matter at the moment. There was a fireball caressing the surface of the lake. A fireball formed by **me**. Oh my vala. It didn't last too long. I didn't have enough of chakra left after an evening of trying to nail this jutsu. _And nailed it I did. _ I was still staring into the lake, with the last hand sign in place,shocked.

"I did it." I vocalized finally. "You were right. I was focusing too much on the damned signs." I turned to the duck who was looking at the remains of my fireball which dissipated across the lake, with a rather weird expression. "What?"

"… you need to train" his eyes did not leave the lake. "badly."

"Give me a break." I said getting away from the bridge as fast as I could._ The little shit._ "I just succeeded in doing the jutsu. The rest can wait for now. I'm off to bed. Kaya, out."

I did not look behind me to the duckling. I was tired. But excited. _**Kaya is out.**_

Ҩ

"Damn blisters!"

I've let go of the bow's string with a frustrated sigh. _Damn this._ My index and middle finger burned where the string pinched my skin. Coincidentally, that's where I had blisters as well. _Why didn't I bandage them or something?_ Because it didn't occur to me until after I finished my daily running laps that I actually didn't do anything about my hands and arms. And by the time I finished my running routine it was already too late to go back home. _So I've decided that archery was a good idea._ With blisters on my hands. Yeah.

I inspected my fingers. Yeah. So much for archery today. The blisters were squishy and some liquid with no color was coming out of them. It was kind of gross, but nothing too serious, all I needed was some water and something to cover them up until the skin recovered. I had the misfortune to have harmed the most 'serious' blisters I received due to my chakra molding training. The others were almost healed.

I turned around and hung the bow back on the low branch I used as a hanging support. I wasn't worrying that one morning I would come here and discover that my bow and quiver magically disappeared, because apparently no one came here. I looked around at the old trees with their large and contorted trunks and the wide spread branches as big as twice my calves. I sighed, and started towards the river to my left.

I had decided weeks ago that this was my favorite place in Konoha. It was inside the Uchiha district. Which was funny, because at the time when there actually _was_ an Uchiha clan, I used to come seldom as deep into the district as now. I reached the river and I leant down to wash the burning sensation out of my finger in the cold water. _The Naka river. _ I was very fond of it. _But I'm scared shitless of the damn lake._ I couldn't explain it. However, this place was perfect for my archery practice. The branches of the trees were decorated here and there with small archery targets and some even smaller for throwing kunai. And shuriken. And occasionally arrows too. Yeah, I don't like rules, I'm a rebel.

_Ahhhh, this is good_. I added pressure on the fingers and the pain disappeared when I washed my hand again. I looked at the clean water of the lake, sitting in a crouched position. I knew that farther from here, the river would open in a deep ravine. The river branched off into smaller tributaries before going underground and under the Hokage Rock. But that wasn't important. It was the deep ravine that held my thought's interest at the moment. _That's from where Shisui jumped._ Yep.

I eyed the trees behind me again, feeling a shift of chakra rippling around. I couldn't explain other way better. That's how I viewed chakra. _A rather small amount of chakra. _ Someone with a small amount of chakra was approaching. So, another genin found my spot? Hmm. I turned back to face the river, closing and opening my fist underwater.

"Hey Kaya-chan!"

_Oh crap_.

"Hey, Sakura" I said loud enough so that my voice could reach her over the sound of the river. I really wasn't in the mood to socialize, but I had a good idea why she was here and well, duty was duty. I decided that I would not let some blisters darken my mood. "How are you? What brings you here?"

I looked at her from the corner of my eye. The pink haired girl stopped at a reasonable distance, her eyes trailing on the trees and return to me. _Hm, observant_. Her hair flipped when her head turned, observing my position and what I was doing.

"We have a new mission" she announced brightly "and Kakashi-sensei said that we should all be present."

I nodded. After I annoyed the hell out of the grey haired jounin about allowing me to participate in missions again and actually putting up with the ridiculous ones we were given, it would have been odd to be left out again. Although, I would have deserved it, seeing as I wasn't present at the team gathering to receive the mission. I pulled my hand out of the water, feeling my fingers as cold as ice, numb with no trace of pain. _For now._ I was counting on going back home and wrapping something around it, but apparently today I was slow. _I miscalculated my time._

"How did you know I was here?" I asked trying to move my fingers, again closing and opening my fist, with water dripping onto my black pants. _It's not like anyone will notice. Or care._

"Um, Sasuke-kun suggested you might be around here, by the river."

I stopped, putting my hand down. _'Around here?'_. She must have wasted some time searching for me, if those were the only indications the stupid duckling gave her. And there was my further curiosity as to why would _Sasuke-kun_ suggested where I was. I was positive no one was around when I was practicing my aim, though I couldn't not guarantee what happened in my absence. _So much for 'no one comes here.' _

"Did he, now?" I said in a sarcastic tone, getting up and earning a confused look from the kunoichi. I walked over to her, grabbing my ninja tool kid and wrapping it around my thigh. "So," I began struggling with the tool kit "what is this mission about, exactly?"

"We have to plug out some weeds from a garden."

I swore my eye began twitching violently. _And for this he needs all four of us…?_ I shook my head. I was going to kill the one who made the mission system. _Hashirama is already dead, genius. _Oh, yeah. I nodded in understanding to Sakura.

"Hey, do you have anything that I can wrap around this?" I said as we began walking and showed her my hand. "It's just blisters, nothing serious, but still annoying when I move my fingers."

"No I don't think I have anything" she said narrowing her eyes at the once blisters-now-wound-in-becoming. She began searching in her tool kit. Her face lighted up. "Oh wait! I think I have something."

_Bless be her pinkish brain_.

By the time we arrived at the garden in question, our wonderful sensei and the two idiots were at it already. Well, the idiots were, because the jounin was reading someone nearby and Naruto was complaining about the mission while struggling with some weeds that had large leaves. I raised my eyebrow at that and the large garden. Kakashi sent us a lazy look tearing his eyes from the book.

"Yo."

Naruto looked up and his eyes filled with frustration. To his right, Sasuke didn't seem any more enthusiastic about our mission than his blonde counterpart. At least there were trees around and we didn't have to deal with all _that_ and with the _sun_ as well. _But this is one hell of a garden._ Not to mention that I had to walk across the freaking village to reach it, while wrapping some elastic bandage around my wrists and fingers and putting up with a pink haired kunoichi who constantly asked me if I wanted her help. I didn't finish my archery practice, there were very slim chances of going to the lake in the evening judging by the amount of work we had to do today in this garden and there were this weird cramps I had since breakfast though I had no idea why. Yes, my patience was wearing _very_ thin.

"Sakura-chan, Kaya-chan!" _He really has to call us on our names everytime he sees us?_ Naruto waved at us with weeds in his hand while Sasuke glanced at us._ If that doesn't scream 'Kill me now' then I don't know what does._

"EEEEh? Kakshi-sensei we have to take care of all the garden?" Sakura asked he eyes trailing all over the large patch of greenery.

"Yep. _You_ do." the jounin replied smiling. _Jerk._

"Naruto" I called looking at the crouched orange form of the blonde. "What… are you doing?"

The whiskered boy's head snapped up to look at me and then yelled, with the weeds in his hand. _That sounds wrong._ I kept watching the mortified blonde, while snickering inwardly. _Look at him. The horror._ His blue eyes went wide when he noticed my expression and fixed eyes on the green-yellowish weeds. He started waving his hands. He looked _again_ at the weeds then at the herbs. Then at the weeds then back at the herbs. His distress was real.

"Oh, no! DON'T TELL ME I GOT IT WRONG AGAIN?!"

_Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. DON'T laugh._

"Stop waving your hands, idiot! She's messing with you"

I glared at the duckling. Naruto looked at me then at Sasuke and finally stopped making a mess around him. I could hear Sakura sigh to my right and I almost pitied all of us. Almost. The blonde automatically relaxed. Last time we had a similar mission he pulled out the wrong plants. _All_ of them.

"Spoil all my fun, will you?" I mumbled dispatching my weapons kit and abandoning it somewhere on a chopped trunk after taking out a kunai. I didn't exactly need shuriken and kunai for pulling out wild weeds from the ground.

"Hey! That was RUDE!"

I ignored the blonde and started putting some real effort into our 'mission' without a word. I heard Sakura say something to the blonde, but I was already too immersed in the task to actually pay attention. _I'm in a very __**good**__ mood today._ I had no idea why, though.

The earth was cold enough under my touch that I could feel it despite the bandages, contrasting with the warm fuzzy feeling in the air today. It was rather nice though. I could easily tell apart the useless weeds from the herbs and judging by the size of the patch, I concluded that this was the garden of someone who made a living out of commercializing medicinal herbs. Heh. _This reminds me of Nekobaa and her garden._

Indeed. I haven't realized how much I missed playing with my hands in dirt until now. For some weird reason, putting my hands in the cold _ground_ and pulling out the root of the wild weed, was calming. _This is a newly planted row. _ The ground was smooth and the herbs were well tended to, no sign of the dry soil I was used to in some other regions of the village. It was a rather hot and dry weather this season, but today was colder than usually. _Which is a relief._

"DAMN THESE WEEDS"

_Again, this sounds so wrong._ I turned to look at the blonde in time to see Sakura hit him behind the head telling him to shut up. I agreed with the whiskered idiot. Doing D-ranked missions was getting to me too. I was growing annoyed and bored of them. How is one supposed to accumulate experience if you don't give them the opportunity to acquire experience? But then again, I suppose the ranking system of the missions was of such nature to protect the young starters on the path of ninja. _So poetic._

_Jesus H Roosevelt Christ. What's with these cramps? _The cramps that made me want to stay two hours more in bed this morning. _Have I eaten something rotten? Seriously. _Wonderful. If I couldn't get my archery training today, why should I be able to run either, right? _This is slowly turning into a bad day._

From the corner of my eye I could see the duck looking over my shoulder from a reasonable distance trying to not get my attention. He failed. Obviously. I stopped, not turning yet and waiting for his reaction. Even he wasn't so thick as to not know that I've noticed him. … Right? _Apparently he actually is._ I had to turn around and look at him. He blinked, a little surprised like any child caught staring. That didn't last long though.

"Can I help you, duckling?" I asked lowly through my teeth. _What's up with this splendid mood I'm in?_ The pain in my lower abdomen didn't help. _And I still have no idea where that came from._

"Are you going to pull out _those_ as well?" the Uchiha asked with a skeptical look his coal black eyes turning further to my right.

"Huh?"

_I'm such an idiot._ I looked to my right and beyond the portion I've chosen for myself, there was another portion washed in sunlight, full of the same weeds. I looked at my portion and realized that I've been pulling out the weeds from the parts of the garden that were under the cover of the shadows. I haven't put even one foot into the sunlight. _Fuck that shit._ I snapped my head to the left and looked behind the duckling.

"Sasuke" I said happily and the black haired almost flinched at my suddenly change of mood "do you hate sunlight?"

"Sunlight? Hn." he narrowed his eyes.

"So, do you?" I pressed on pulling out another weed and feeling how some soil got under my nails.

"How is that relevant?"

"YES OR NOT? GODDAMNIT!"

"K-Kaya-chan, can you please stop shouting?" Naruto asked from behind a very uncertain Sakura, one hand to his ear trying to regain is hearing I guessed.

"Hn. No."

"Perfect!" I smiled getting up and stretching my legs. "Switch places with me. I can't stand sun bathing. Besides, I've almost finished here, there's only _that_ left and in your part there's still enough."

He looked at me deadpanned. I raised and eye brow at him daring him to refuse. Apparently today he wasn't in the mood for arguing, because he stood and walked over looking at me like there was something definitely wrong with me. _That might actually be right._

"Thanks, duckie. I'm buying you some tomatoes" I said crutching over the weeds closer to Sakura. _What's with these fucking cramps?_ I had to actually stop, putting instinctively a hand below my navel where the pain seemed to focus and disperse all around the lower abdomen.

"Are you ok, Kaya-chan?" Sakura asked noticing my discomfort.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said looking at the pink haired. "It's nothing."

Her green eyes told me she didn't believe me, but said nothing more and we got back at pulling out weeds. I had to do something about these cramps, but at the moment, the faster we were done with this mission, the better.

It took us another hour after which all three of us were complaining of back pain and being covered in a thick layer of dirt. Naruto being the loudest, but he was complaining about our missions again, rather than standing crutched for two hours to pull out weeds. However, Sakura managed to make him shut up in her own personal way. Sometimes I really pitied the blonde. He was practically being abused by Sakura. _I mean, holy shit. I knew she used to hit Naruto a lot in the anime, but this is straight down domestic abuse. _Domestic because they were in the same team. _One good thing is that it took us only two hours._ Or something around that. _I should really start gathering some money to invest in a good wrist watch_. I hated not being able to keep track of time.

"Well, at least it didn't take us too much time" I said stopping the bickering of Sakura and Naruto. Sasuke nodded, a long line of dirt across his forehead. _That's why usually people get their hair out of their face, duckling._ I looked at Sakura, her hair sticking out in random places, a mess of dirt. _Never mind, duckie_. I congratulated myself for braiding my hair. _I always braid my hair._ My point still stands!

"Aah" we turned to the grey haired jounin as he appeared near a tree still absorbed by his book. _Where the hell has he been?_ Not that he usually hung around when we were having a very dangerous mission such as this one. "I see you haven't seen the front of the house."

"… what?"

Naruto jumped on his feet and ran on the well-kept stone footway. I appreciated his care for the herbs and flowers. Knowing Naruto, I was expecting him to walk directly across the garden, over the herbs.

"OH NO! THERE'S A FRONT GRADEN!"

"You must be kidding me…" Sakura sighed exhausted, tracing her hand across her forehead, leaving a fresh line of dirt. _This reminds me… that I usually touch my face quite often while gesticulating. _I was happy we were in a garden where there were no mirrors. Kakashi looked at us smiling at our distress and then turned to me.

"You don't have anything to say, Kaya?"

I glared to him and started walking. I could hear Naruto saying something like an uninterrupted flood of words destined to the sky perhaps, because no one was close enough to make out a word of it. I could hear steps behind me and I turned making sure it wasn't Kakashi. _Nah, he's still over there._ Sasuke sent me a curious look, but I was too annoyed to bother with him now.

"Fuck all kinds of duck. Pun _not_ intended."

Ҩ

I munched on my dango stick with vengeance. _Nothing useful. NOTHING. _I wasted three hours at the library reading about fire jutsu. That was the first hour. The next two, I spent ruffling through history books and scrolls that I have succeeded in bringing down while doing acrobatics reaching for a much too high up shelf. Damn I was short. But despite my apparent dissatisfaction, reading about the Senju and the Uchiha was rather _fascinating_. Because that's how every history book started. I mean, why bother about the times _before_ the two infamous clans? _Well, there is some … uninformative information about the human settlements and minor clans._

Still, my research had been fruitless since my main objective was learning how to mold and manipulate elemental chakra. Apart from the basics for the Fireball jutsu and other like those, I found absolutely nothing. Nothing about Chidori or Rasengan or any fire based technique that could be considered their equivalent. _I guess fire types need to be ingenious when using jutsus? _ Nah. I had a suspicion that the lack of information regarding advanced fire jutsu, was due to the Uchiha's unwillingness to pass on their secrets. I mean, which other clan has a stronger and more prominent proclivity towards fire elemental chakra? _But they are all dead._ Well, not _all_. I wasn't counting myself dead and neither was Sasuke. _What's the next best thing?_ The answer was rather simple: Kakashi. _The Copy Ninja. _

_At least I did find something remotely interesting._ I searched inside my pockets to find a folded piece of paper. Ha. As much as I enjoyed reading some history of the village, I was more pleased with my discovery. I smirked as I kept walking pass a wespons shop, some children running by. It was a replication jutsu. Or at least it would fall into that category. _It's not a jutsu._ It was a seal. And I really shouldn't have copied information from the books, but as long as no one saw, _nothing_ happened. Right?_ I'll take care of this later._ 'Later', as in another day. I was done for today.

And returning to my new found interest in history. _I need more information._ I _always _needed more information no matter how much research I did. I knew all about the Uchiha Massacre and more, but that wasn't due to research. That was because I came from a completely different world in which this whole reality is actually an anime and manga. _I need another excuse for knowing so much. _There was another thing fishy about the whole massacre thing. Why neither Itachi or Obito killed me. Well, I guessed it was actually Itachi who spared me. _But why?_ Why indeed.

_I hate dirt._ No, what I hated were these shoes we were given as part of the shinobi gear. They were light and perfect for stealth but _damn_. I could feel everything I was stepping on. Buuuut I had to wash and take care of my boots which were currently bathing in sunlight back at my apartment. I scowled and stopped to throw my dango stick in a bin. Yeah, we had those here as well. One thing I enjoyed about Konoha was that you could walk around and be invisible. Or at least that's how I felt. Under the cloak of anonymity. Just like the internet. Only, in real life. _Back to Danzo._ Because when one says 'Uchiha Massacre' it's impossible for me not to think about the weirdo elder with Sharingan all over his body. Not that anybody knew that piece of information.

Then again. I had no logical reason to know this, unless I _found_ a justification. A good one. Though. The fact that Itachi's orders to kill the Uchiha were given by Danzo, was rather interesting, because given that I was spared then there were several implications. 1. I wasn't an Uchiha. 2. Danzo cannot kill me from whatever reason. 3.I am an Uchiha and Itachi knows the reason why he didn't kill me. Either one, the mistery of my survival was gravitating around my parentage. And where else could I find more information about both the massacre and my parents if not - …

I stopped in the middle of the road clipping my sticky fingers, struck with a sudden realization.

"Oh shit. I have to join the ANBU."

_But that will take years!_ I needed to find an excuse _now_. Before the Chunin Exams. Before Orochimaru kills the Third Hokage. Before Itachi comes and fucks Sasuke up even more. Before the duckling decides that a life of being molested and traumatized is worth what little power he can gain from Oro. _ I have to find a way into the ANBU archives._

"Kaya-chan!"

I turned around puzzled recognizing the voice. Some people turned as well while passing me by, looking at the pink haired kunoichi waving her hand. _Sakura? Wait, where the hell am I?_ I looked around suddenly aware that I wasn't in the part of the village where the swings and the park stood. _That's what I get for walking around with my head in the clouds._ I started walking in Sakura's direction and regretted it almost immediately. Ino was shooting daggers at the pinkie and when she looked at me her expression did not change. _Oh. Now I know where I am._ We couldn't be far from the Yamanaka Shop. I recognized another shop that sells sweets. Expensive sweets.

"Yo" I said stealing Kakashi's favorite word.

"What are you doing here?" Ino said scowling.

"You really need to find a new line when you see me, Ino-_chan. _That one is getting old." I shook my head in disappointment and looked at Sakura who was oblivious to the reference.

"You'd better NOT have fed those marigolds to your beast!" Ino pointed her finger at me like a five years old.

"… marigolds?" Sakura asked looking between the two of us.

"It's a long story. And ridiculous." I assured her. I sighed, addressing Ino. "Relax. Mikasa doesn't like bright flowers. She prefers the more neutral colors. Anyway, Sakura? You wanted to say something? I'd rather hurry up back home and make sure Mikasa does not chew on things with neutral colors like my books. Or jutsu scrolls. Or kunai. That would be tragic."

"Oh! We have a mission this after-noon. Baby-sitting the daimyo's grandchildren." Sakura explained.

"You're down right joking" I complained. _At least it's not a field mission. Damn my cramps._ I was beginning to worry about them. There were already 24 hours and I was still having them."I'm sure Naruto and Sasuke were thrilled."

"Hmpf. I'm sure Sasuke takes care of 90% of your missions. He's _that_ awesome." Ino exclaimed. _She seriously said that? Like, in real life?_

"Yeah. We're just sitting around while he's awesomely defeating all the bad guys with his awesome genin jutsu. Even Kakashi who's a jounin. Especially when it comes to missions involving kids." I commented rolling my eyes.

"Aren't you from the same clan?" Ino raised an eye brow skeptically. "Shouldn't you be on his side?"

"We _are_ from the same clan. And _I am_ on his side. But he would rather burn himself alive or put himself into a genjutsu while looking in the mirror then hear you 'flatter' him without reason. You don't know Sasuke." I explained exasperated.

"Yeah, Ino-pig! Sasuke will never stand for your pathetic flattery!"

"You talk, Forhead Girl?!"

I slapped my forhead. Hard. _It's my fault. I instigated this direction of discussion. I have to make my escape somehow._ The two were already at it with arguments and insults. Arguments as in fictional scenarios that were borderline ridiculous.

"Enough." I finally said and something in my voice made them turn and more importantly stop talking. Ino run her hand along her long ponytail while Sakura 'hmpf' -ed. _Oh boy._ Something snapped in me when I noticed their attitudes. It reminded me of some 'friends' I head in middle-school, back home. "Since you two are so much at it with your _obsession_ for Sasuke, let me tell you right now, that you have to wait at least _one or two_ years if not _more_, for Sasuke to notice girls like _that_. If he ever will. He's more interested in _tomatoes _than he is in girls. If you weren't so _ignorant_, _superficial_ and _selfish_ you would know that having your whole family and clan murdered by your older brother while you are barely 8 years old and then forced to live by yourself, kind of lets you _**traumatized for life**_. I'm pretty sure he doesn't think about _romance and shit like that_ and he doesn't have time for your _bullshit_ about romance. We are 12! Also, you're sitting in the middle of the road like two gossiping cronies. At least go have some tea and debate this, oh so interesting subject. Have a good day."

I turned on my heels and stormed off well aware that I've made a scene. Kind of. _I didn't shout. That's progress._ No. I kept my voice as sharp as a knife and slightly louder than normal. _Still loud enough to make people turn._ I had no idea what was with the sudden anger spur. _Mood swings. I'm having mood swings._ And the cramps were back. That didn't stop me from walking like I wanted to crack the ground. That's until I bumped into someone. Hard. Thankfully, that person had the courtesy to not let me fall and break my skull or something. Turning I caught sight of a very familiar basket. Just as I was going to open my mouth an apologize for being an idiot who bumps into people I realized that I was staring into a pair of pitch black eyes. _Ugh. Wonderful._

"You. Heard. _Nothing_" I accentuated every word in a murderous tone not breaking visual contact with the young Uchiha. Sasuke blinked at me with a bewildered expression – one I've never thought he was able to express. "Also, tell Kakashi I'm not up for babysitting. I'm not feeling well."

_He looked as I cut right through his intention to say something_. Well, fuck that. My cramps had gotten worse, two _imbecile_ girls were wearing the same stupid and bewildered expression the duckling had on his face, our missions consisted of some trivial activities the villages were too lazy to do themselves and WHAT WAS WITH THESE CRAMPS?!

I hurried home. _More like stormed here like a madwoman. _That meant almost running and ignoring any living form around me. First thing I did after locking my door was to collapse on the bed. I've spent more than an hour curled up in a ball trying to ease the pain. It felt as if my lower abdomen was teared apart from the inside. Little threads of pain spread along the space below my navel. Like my internal organs had muscle cramps or something. I was vaguely aware of some movement around my bed and the fat tabby cat that jumped on the bed meowing at my curled form.

"Mikasa, I am dying." I said at the little fucker. "As a result, I can't exactly feed you right now, so fuck off."

Of course she didn't. I growled frustrated as if I actually thought the cat could understand me. I've never felt this kind of pain. I wanted to reach up and open my abdomen up. Seriously. And the pain wasn't constant. No, no, no, no. It came in waves. It. Was. Torture. And still. I lost track of time, but at one point my mind tried to trick me into a déjà-vu. I blamed the exhaustion. The cramps were exhausting me and my mind was tricking me into thinking that I've experienced this pain before. I was losing my mind as well. _Perfect. Just perfect. What's next? My shoulder acting up after all this time?_ But this pain was rivaling that of my shoulder when Zabuza cut into it. That had been a throbbing agonizing pain dubbed by numbness from blood loss. I would have given anything for numbness now. And in the end the only thing that remained after that gushing-red-pool-of-blood wound, was a white silvery scar, across the space between my neck and shoulder, lowering over my collarbone and my trapezius muscle, without sectioning the actual muscle. Calling it 'shoulder wound' was just me being lazy, really. As I was contemplating my old – not so old – battle wound like any legendary hero from the old, _**I felt it**_.

I jumped on my feet receiving a ripping pain below my navel. I knew this pain._ Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit._ I knew this … _sensation_. I hurried to the bathroom as if Zabuza was after me again with his ridiculously gigantic sword. _No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no._ _I'm only 12._ _Too young_. But there it was. In the white light of my comfy bathroom, the proof of my suspicion was spread red against the immaculate fabric. _NOT AGAIN. I've been through this. Not agaaaaaaaaaaaaain. _Only then I realized why being a child again was one of the best things that ever happened to me. The trauma, ostracization and derealization and having no family had been worth it. _Um… no, not really. _Shut up brain. _How can I, as a woman, forget about menstruation_? Then again, I haven't had my period for twelve years or so. But stiiiiiill._ I've been a child for too long._ Then came the realization.

"I have no pads." _Or tampons. Or __**anything**__._

"OOOOOOOOOOh shit."

* * *

**I AM ALIVE!**

**And so is my laptop. I am so sorry for the VERY late update, but life happened. And health problems happened. And I wanted to delete the whole story. Ok. Rewind. Let me elaborate. I'm not really happy about the previous chapters, as I have been reading them all over again. There isn't one I don't want to rewrite or at least change something in it (with the exception of Land of Waves Arc, perhaps.) Buuuut, I might do this later. **

**Important information about the fanfic : I've decided to split it in two, respectively : Part 1 which includes the whole Naruto series from the beginning until Shippuden or chapter 245 in the manga, and Part 2 which includes Shippuden and all that it it from chapter 245 to the very end of the manga/anime. **

**The updates will be slow because I find it a little harder to concentrate of consistency instead of quantity and it has nothing to do with anything else than the fact that I am in a writer's inspiration crisis. I told you. At one point I wanted to delete the whole story. I might, however, update some old chapters again. I've lost the word documents for at least 5 chapters and they had some changes in them that didn't make it into the actual story on the site. This is how I work. I write a chapter in word and put it of **

**Now new about an upcoming fanfics. I have a dilemma. I wanted to write outside the anime circle, but I couldn't get into anything at the moment so… yeah. All my ideas are right now anime related. So. I have several ideas. Some related to Naruto. I think I would do a marvelous job at writing a pre-Konoha fanfic. Somewhere in the Madara's and Hashirama's era. That would be fun, because the character I would write for that would be EXTREMELY different from Kaya. But just as fun to write.**

**The other idea I have is to write a Tokyo Ghoul fanfic. I won't give away too much information, simply because I don't have a finite idea. And by finite idea I mean an ending. For me the ending is the key. **

**About either of them I am MORE than eager to hear your opinions. I might make a poll for it. I don't know yet, but please let me know what you think about my ideas. For what I know they might be awful ideas :))) **

**Aaaaaand I have another collaboration fanfic. But it won't 'air' on until we don't have at least 3 chapters done so we don't end up uploading like me, almost once few months (if you can't tell, I'm feeling very guilty). I won't tell you who is my partner in crime, because I haven't asked the person in question if I can divulge the identity, but I can tell you that it is a fanfic about one of my top 5 favorite anime/manga : Hellsing ^_^**

**And this is pretty much all. I'll try to update faster. I wanted to reach the Chunin exam arc. I REALLY wanted to reach the Chunin Exam part, because that's when the real shit gets down. To be honest though, I can't wait to get over the whole Part 1 and get my claws into Shippuden. I have MANY plans for Kaya and some dear characters that we all know. Also, more BONDING in the future, if you know what I mean, ahem (although they ARE children, keep that in mind. But also, they will be teens in Part 2. Definitely up for that part of um, bonding. Also watch out for Kaya and Itachi interaction. It will be fun )**

**Ah. There are other things to mention. Someone said that Kaya was everywhere. Um. Kaya is narrating her own life. 'A ****first****-****person narrative**** is a story from the first-person perspective: the viewpoint of a character writing or speaking directly about themselves.' But if the point was that she is everywhere in the Naruto universe or plot… well, she isn't. Neither is she 'everywhere' when it comes to the characters, actually she is coming in contact with a small amount of them, because she's socially crippled due to trauma. That's her way of dealing with it, just as Sasuke's way of dealing with it is to close up emotionally and turn his hatred towards Itachi (and Danzo, and the Kages, and Konoha and Naruto etc…). I don't understand what 'Kaya is everywhere' refers to, but I want to know. Criticism is welcomed as well as explaining. **

**I have long decided that things won't go cannon. Nope. Not happening. But that was obvious from the Land of Waves Arc. **

**Criticism and reviews are LOVE and they keep me going, also they let me know how to improve my story and writing. Also, tell me your thoughts about the fanfics matter, this chapter and HOLY SHIT THE ANIME IS FINALLY AT ITS END.**

** Longest author's note, yet, huh? Heh.**

**Catch you guys later! (but not that 'later'…)**


End file.
